LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap.(xXCopyright No.l2-l| 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



STANDARD WHIST 



STANDARD WHIST 

AN EXPONENT OF THE PRINCIPLES AND RULES OF THE MODERN SCIENTIFIC 
GAME OF WHIST AS ADOPTED BY THE AMERICAN WHIST LEAGUE 
AT THE NINTH AMERICAN WHIST CONGRESS CON- 
VENING AT CHICAGO, JULY lo, iSgg 

BY 1 

ANNIE BLANCHE SHELBY 

TO WHICH IS APPENDED 

THE LAWS OF WHIST AND THE ETIQUETTE OF WHIST 

AS REVISED AND ADOPTED AT THE THIRD AMERICAN 
WHIST CONGRESS, CHICAGO, JlrtlE, 1893 

AND 

THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 

AS REVISED AND SUBMITTED AT THE EIGHTH AMERICAN WHIST CONGRESS, 
AND ADOPTED ON TRIAL FOR ANOTHER YEAR AT THE NINTH AMER- 
ICAN WHIST CONGRESS. EMBRACING ALSO A COMPLETE 
GLOSSARY OF COMMON AND TECHNICAL TERMS 



'^^ 



HERBERT S. STONE & COMPANY 

CHICAGO & NEW YORK 

MDCCCXCIX 



{?K/277 



45253 

COPYRIGHT, 1899, BY 
HERBERT S. STONE & CO, 



TWO COPIES RECEIVED. 







r 



WHIST 

'* 7%^ instructor of youth and the consoler of age" 

" Whist is assuming the position of a great social 
element which Dr. Herbert Spencer will soon have 
to reckon with in his principles of sociology ^ 

DR. WILLIAM POLE. 

^^Naught can equal the infinite variety and charm 
of whist." 



The works of Henry Jones (Cavendish), Charles 
Emmet Coffin, C. D. P. Hamilton, Fisher Ames, Dr. 
William Pole, Gen. A. W. Drayson, R. F. Foster, Arthur 
Campbell-Walker, Richard A. Proctor, Milton C. Work, 
Emery Boardman, Edmond Hoyle, William Mill Butler, 
John T. Mitchell, Kate Wheelock, Mrs. Mary D'l. Le- 
vick, as well as the writings of Nicholas Browse Trist, 
Cassius M. Paine, George H. Bunn, G. W. Briggs, P. J. 
Tormey, Robert Weems, T. E. Otis, Mrs. Margaretta 
Wetherill Wallace, Mrs. M. S. Jenks, and others have 
been consulted in the preparation of this work. 



TO THE PUPILS WHOSE RESPONSIVENESS AND CORDIAL 
APPRECIATION HAVE MADE MY ROLE 
OF INSTRUCTOR 
AT ALL TIMES A PLEASANT ONE, AND WHOSE EN- 
THUSIASM AND UNSWERVING LOYALTY 
HAVE PROVED A NEVER-FAILING INCENTIVE TO THE 
COMPLETION OF THIS WORK, 
I HEREWITH AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE IT. 



PREFACE 

The recent action of the American Whist 
League in the adoption of a standard system 
of play, which, while as the League distinctly 
states, is not intended to be mandatory, never- 
theless furnishes a tangible and recognized 
authority, is the most notable event, perhaps, 
which has taken place in the whist world since 
the inception of American Leads, and demon- 
strates once more the universal tendency of "the 
survival of the fittest." 

The numberless innovations, fads, and so- 
called systems, which had from time to time been 
introduced into the game, had robbed it of its 
pristine purity, and left it in that condition in 
which the player felt he had nothing stable on 
which to base his confidence or repose his faith. 
The action of the League, therefore, fills a long- 
felt want, and save perhaps by the discomfited 
xi 



PREFACE 

progenitors of so-called systems,'is universally 
approved. 

Confidence is restored, and the game given a 
new and fresh stimulus. 

This work is in accord throughout with the 
tenets and principles of the standard game. It 
has been my aim to present the subject not 
simply in the light of a diversion, but of an edu- 
cator, appealing to the highest order of intellect 
and reason. I have, therefore, wherever prac- 
ticable, sifted to the very foundation, and stated 
not only that certain things are so, but why they 
are so ; in other words, I have appealed as closely 
as possible to the reasoning powers of my read- 
ers, fully knowing that when once we understand 
the theory of the game, it will no longer be 
necessary to burden ourselves with rules, as 
reason, not precept, will be the guide. 

Trusting it may fulfill the mission intended, 
I herewith submit it for the approval of my 
readers. Annie Blanche Shelby. 



xii 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER I 

INTRODUCTORY 



Page 



Development of Whist - - - - - i 

Mannerisms - .... 2 

General Remarks thereon - - - 3 

The Folly of Finding Fault with Partner - 8 

The Wise Player - - - - - 9 

The Player Who Loses his Temper - - 10 

The Practice of Friendly Comment and Criticism - 1 1 

Penalties - - - - - - 12 

Woman's Play as Compared with Man's - - 14 

Attainments of Kate Wheelock - - - 15 

CHAPTER n 

THE LEADS— FIRST AND SECOND — PLAIN SUITS 

The Value of the Leads - - - - 16 

Study Essential to Success - - - 18 

The Player Who Relies on Himself - - - 18 

The Value of the Long-Suit Opening - - ig 
xiii 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Original Leads - - - - - - 21 

Closely Following Rule - - - - 21 

The Lead of Ace, Rules for - - - - 22 

Second Lead after an Original Lead of Ace - 23 
The Significance of the Follow of Ace with Original 

Fourth Best - - - - - 23 
The Importance of Noting the Absence of Small 

Cards - - - - - - 24 

Rule for the Lead of High Indifferent Cards - 25 
The Leads with Reference to their Bearing upon the 

Play of Third Hand - - - - 26 

Rule for the Lead of King - - - - 29 

Second Lead after an Original Lead of King - 29 

Rule for the Lead of Queen - - - - 33 

Second Lead after an Original Lead of Queen - 33 
The Play of Third Hand, when Holding Certain 

Combinations, Bearing upon the Lead of Queen 34 

Rule for the Lead of Jack - - - - 35 

Second Lead after an Original Lead of Jack - 36 
When Ace should be Played Third Hand on Lead 

of Jack 37 

The Habit of " Counting the Cards " - - 37 

Rule for the Lead of 10 - - - - 39 

Second Lead after an Original Lead of 10 - 39 

Fourth Best Lead, Significance of - - - 4Q 

The Lead of 9, Significance of - - - 41 

Second Lead after an Original Lead of 9 - - 41 

Second Lead after an Original Lead of Fourth Best 43 

xiv 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Should a Suit be Continued a Third Round? - - 44 

When the Leads may be Modified - - 46 

How to Lead from a Suit after Discarding or 

Trumping - - - - - ' M 

CHAPTER HI 

SHORT-SUIT LEADS — OTHERWISE FORCED OR 
IRREGULAR LEADS 

Reasons why as a Rule the Original Lead of a Short 

Suit should be Avoided - - - 49 

Cases where Short Suits should be Led - - 54 

Best Short Suits to Open - - - - 55 

Forced Leads - - - - - - 55 

What Short Suits should be Avoided - - 56 

Strengthening Play - - - - - 57 

Why a Singleton Lead as an Original Lead is Unwise 57 

Rules for Forced Leads - - - * 58 

Irregular Leads ----- 58 

Rules for Irregular Leads - - - - 59 

CHAPTER IV 

TRUMP LEADS 

Why Different from Plain-Suit Leads - - 60 

Value of Backward Play - - - - 61 

Importance of Retaining Control of Trumps - 62 
Rules for Trump Leads - * - -62 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Special Trump Leads - - - - 63 

Rules for Special Trump Leads - - - 63 

Examples of Special Trump Leads - - 64 

CHAPTER V 

SECOND HAND 

Importance of Correct Second-Hand Play • - 66 
Why the Play of a Small Card is Generally Advisable 66 

Rules for Play of a High Card - - - 68 

Cards in Sequence, how Played • - - 68 

How Play Holding Ace, Queen - • - 70 

How Play Holding Ace, Queen, 10 - • 70 

How Play Holding Ace, Jack, 10 - - - 71 

How Play Holding High Sequences - - 71 

How Play Holding Moderate Sequences - -72 
How Play on Lead of High Card from Weakness 72 

How Play when Holding Fourchette - - - 73 

Why Fourchette Proclaims Irregular Lead - 74 

How Play Holding King, Queen, or Jack, Once 

Guarded, 9 Led - - - - - 74 

How Play Holding King, Queen, or Jack, Once 

Guarded, Small Card Led - - - 74 

Eleven Rule - - - - - - 77 

Fourteen Rule ----- 78 

When and when not to Trump, Second Hand - 80 

Correct Play on Second Round of Suit - - 81 

Policy of Holding up in Trumps - - - 81 

Play affected by Card Turned - - - 82 
xvi 



CONTENTS 
CHAPTER VI 

THIRD HAND 

Page 

First Requisite to Successful Third-Hand Play - 85 

Card Sense ------ 86 

How Play, Small Card Led - - - - 88 

How Play, Small Card Led, Holding Ace, King, 

Four or More in Suit - - - - 8g 

Finesse - - - - - - - 89 

The Finesse Permissible in Partner's Suit - 92 
Finesse on Later Leads, in Opponents' Suits, by 

What Regulated - - - - - 92 

Expediency of Finessing Strengthening Card - 93 
Finesse in Trumps - - - - "93 

Obligatory or Arbitrary Finesse - - - 94 

Unblocking - - - - - - 96 

When Best to Abandon Unblocking Play - 100 
Difference in Form Employed when Abandoning 

Unblocking Play and when Calling for Trumps. 

No Need for Misconception - - - 102 

How Play when Wishing to Both Signal and Unblock 103 

How Play when Cards are Headed by Court Cards - 103 
How Discard from Partner's Suit, having Begun to 

Unblock ..... 104 

How Return Partner's Suit, having Begun to Unblock 104 
Unblocking Play Valuable as Informing Concerning 

Number ----- 107 

How Play on Lead of King, Holding Four or More - 108 



CONTENTS 

Page 
How Play, High Card Led, Holding Five or More io8 
When Unblock, Holding Originally Three Cards of 

Partner's Suit - - . . . jog 

When Unblock, Holding Originally Three, on Second 

Round ------ io8 

When Unblock, Holding Originally Two Cards of 

Partner's Suit - - - . . jog 

How Play, Holding Ace, on Card Led Higher than 9 109 
How Play, 9 Led - - - - - no 

How Play, having None of Partner's Suit, on his 

Original Lead of an Honor, 9, or 10 - - 112 

How Play on Lead of Thirteener - - - 112 

How Play on Lead of Twelfth Card - - 113 

Finesse by Rule of Eleven - - - - 114 

Summary of General Principles Governing Play of 

Third Hand - . - - - - 116 

CHAPTER VH 

FOURTH HAND 

Usual Play - - - - - - 117 

Cases where Advisable to Pass the Trick - 118 

CHAPTER VHI 

RETURN LEAD 

Rules for Return Leads - - - - 121 

Exceptions to - - - - - 122 

Inadvisability of Changing Suits - - - 124 

xviii 



CONTENTS 

Page 
Value of the Principles to Rid Ourselves of the 
Command of Partner's Suit, to Retain That of 
Adversary's - - - - - 126 

CHAPTER IX - 

TRUMPS 

Difficulties Experienced in the Management of 

Trumps -...-. 129 
Distinctive Purposes to which Trumps may be 

Applied ------ 130 

Lead for the Purpose of Protection - - - 131 

Importance of being in the Lead when the Last 

Trump is Played - . - . 132 

Ruffing System - - - - - - 133 

Cross Ruff ------ 134 

When and when not to Force Partner - - 134 

Importance of Forcing Strong Adversary - 136 

When and when not to Trump, Second Hand - 138 

Impolicy of Trumping, Third in Hand, an Honor or 

any Card Higher than 8, when Led by Partner 

as an Original Lead - - - - 138 

Form to Employ when Forced Holding Four Trumps 138 
Form to Employ when Forced Holding Five or 

More Trumps ----- 138 
Inadvisability of Continuing a Suit of Which Both 

Opponents are Void - - - - 139 

Importance of Leading Trumps to Stop a Cross Ruff 140 
How Lead at Such Times - - - - 140 

xix 



CONTENTS 

Page 
Original Lead from Longest Suit even when the Only- 
Long Suit is the Trump Suit - - - 140 
When not Obligatory upon Partner to Return Trump 

Lead ------ 14^ 

Importance under Usual Conditions of an Immediate 
Return - - - - - - 143 

How to be Guided when, the Trump Suit Consisting 
of Four or Perhaps Five, the Hand also Con- 
tains a Long Unestablished Plain Suit - 144 
Rule to Lead Trumps from Five Liable to Exceptions 145 
How Play when One Adversary Renounces to the 
Trump Suit - - - - - 145 

Importance of Backward Play in Trumps - - 146 

Importance of Backward Play in Plain Suits when No 

Trumps Remain Adversely - - - 146 

Trump Signal, What If is and how Made - - 146 

Strength Conceded Necessary to Give the Signal 149 

Impolicy of Giving the Signal when a Strong Suit is 

Shown Adversely - - - - - 150 

How Signal when Wishing also to Unblock - 150 
How Signal in the Discard - - - - 151 

Single Discard Call - - - - 151 

Signal may Develop in Other Ways than by the Use 
of the Form Explained - - - - 152 

How Play when Partner Fails to Trump a Doubtful 

Trick 152 

False Card Lead, or Calling through the Honor, 

how Made and under What Conditions - - I53 

The Card to Lead in Response to a Signal, Rules for 156 



CONTENTS 

Page 

The Echo, how Made and when Given - - 157 

Different Ways of Giving the Echo - - 158 

Value of Negative Inferences - - - - 158 

How Play when Forced, Holding Four Trumps, 

Partner having Signaled - - - 159 

How Play when Forced, Holding Five or More 

Trumps, Partner having Signaled - - 159 

How Play, Making Bid for the Trick, when Holding 

Four or More Trumps Headed by Cards in 

Sequence ..... 160 

The Sub-Echo - - - - - - 162 

CHAPTER X 

THE DISCARD 

The Discard, Value of - - - - 164 

Forced Discard ------ 165 

Rules for Discards ----- 166 

The Discard to Show Command - - - 169 

The Discard Preparing to Show Command or Re-entry 170 
Why Unwise to Discard a Singleton, Blank an Ace, 
or Unguard an Honor .... 170 

A Discard from Partner's Suit Requires Care - 171 
What the Discard of the Command of a Suit Pro- 
claims ...... 172 

What the Discard of Second Best of a Suit Pro- 
claims ------ 172 

What the Discard of a High Card of an Unopened 
Suit Proclaims - - - - - I73 



CONTENTS 
CHAPTER XI 

THE COMMAND ON. THE THIRD ROUND SIGNAL 

Page 

How Made, and the Significance Attaching - 174 
CHAPTER Xn 

CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

Opportunities for Making a Coup of Infrequent 
Occurrence - - - - -175 

Skill Required in the Last Stages of a Game - 177 

When Rules and Conventions should be Departed 
from ...... 173 

Disadvantage of Being in the Lead at Certain Criti- 
cal Stages - - - - - 178 

False Cards, when Rulable - - - - 179 

When Important to Win Trick, even though Partner's 180 
The Grand Coup, how Played and Object of - 180 
Throwing High Cards to Avoid the Lead - - 182 

Placing the Lead ----- 182 

Underplay - - - - - - 183 

Deschapelles's Coup — How Made and Object of - 184 
How Deschapelles's Coup may be Defeated- - 185 

When not to Win Second Round of Opponent's Suit 186 
When not Right to Draw Losing Trump - - 187 

Treating Long Suits like Short Ones, and Vice Versa 189 



CONTENTS 

m 

APPENDIX A 

THE LAWS OF WHIST 

Page 

The Game - - - - - - 193 

Forming the Table ----- 193 

Cutting - - - - - - - 195 

Shuffling -...-- 195 
Cutting to the Dealer - - - - - 19S 

Dealing ------ 196 

Misdealing ------ 197 

The Trump Card ----- 198 

Irregularities in the Hands - - - - 198 

Cards Liable to be Called - - - - 199 

Leading out of Turn ----- 200 

Playing out of Turn . . - . 201 

Abandoned Hands ----- 201 

Revoking - - - - - - 201 

Miscellaneous ------ 203 

THE ETIQUETTE OF WHIST 
As Adopted by the Third American Whist Congress 205 

THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 

Definitions ------ 207 

Formation of Teams and Arrangement of Players - 208 

Shuffling ------ 209 

xxiii 



CONTENTS 

Page 
Cutting for the Trump - - - - - 209 

Dealing .--._. 210 

The Trump Card - - - - - 211 

Irregularities in the Hands - - - 213 

Playing, Turning, and Quitting the Cards - - 214 

Cards Liable to be Called - - - - 215 

Leading out of Turn - - - . . 217 

Playing out of Turn - - - - 218 

The Revoke ...... 218 

Miscellaneous ..... 220 



APPENDIX B 
Glossary of Common and Technical Terms - - 222 



CHAPTER I 

INTRODUCTORY 

MANNERISMS, PENALTIES, ETC. 

" Whist is a perfect microcosm — a complete miniature 
society in itself. Each player has one friend, to whom 
he is bound by the strongest ties of mutual interest and 
sympathy; but he has twice the number of enemies 
against whose machinations he is obliged to keep per- 
petual guard. He must give strict adherence to the 
established laws and the conventional courtesies of his 
social circle; he is called on for candid and ingenious 
behavior; he must exercise moderation in prosperity, 
patience in adversity, hope in doubtful fortune, humility 
when in error, forbearance to the faults of his friends, 
self-sacrifice for his allies, equanimity under the success 
of his adversaries, and general good temper throughout 
all his transactions. His best efforts will sometimes fail, 
and fortune will favor his inferiors; but sound principles 
will triumph in the end. Is there nothing in all this 
analogous to the social conditions of ordinary life? " 

"Courtesy is nowhere more requisite, or its absence 
more remarkable, than at the whist table." 



STANDARD WHIST 

By a gradual but simple development, succes- 
sive periods marking important strides and new 
and permanent improvements, the game of whist 
has acquired a prominence and attained a degree 
of excellence which the greatest enthusiast in 
the earlier stages of its advancement would 
hardly have thought possible, and which is 
viewed by the skeptic with wonderment and 
doubt. 

As a game based on strictly scientific prin- 
ciples, susceptible of reasoning and yet depend- 
ent in no small degree upon the uncertain 
element of chance, "^the happy combination of 
chance and skill constituting, by the way, one 
of its strongest and most subtle charms, it stands 
unrivaled. It is so absorbing and yet so elusive, 
so full of varied and complex developments and 
of infinite possibilities, that it keeps the mind 
ever on the alert, the acquirement of one prin- 
ciple or truth but urging one on and stimulat- 
ing the desire for the acquisition of more. Like 
a beautiful problem, it unfolds step by step, each 
unfolding offering, if possible, beauties deeper 
and more varied than those previously revealed. 



MANNERISMS, PENALTIES, ETC. 

Possessing in so marked a degree elements and 
characteristics calling for the exercise of mental 
skill of the highest and most versatile order, it 
is not surprising that many of the brightest and 
brainiest men, not only of the present time, but 
of the past century, have pursued its study with 
close and unremitting attention. As a result 
of this study, we, the votaries of whist, to-day 
have for our encouragement the invaluable 
counsel of the best of players from the time the 
game was first introduced. 

A system has been evolved, beautiful, harmo- 
nious, and complete; works innumerable have 
been written on the subject; golden precepts 
have been scattered broadcast, and our entry 
into the whist world is under conditions favor- 
able to the last degree to the pursuit and com- 
paratively easy acquirement of this noblest and 
most intellectual of games. 

To become a good whist player requires obser- 
vation, thought, care, deliberation, concentra- 
tion, perception, and judgment. I might go 
even further, and assert that it calls for the 
keen and incisive calculation of the mathema- 



STANDARD WHIST 

tician, the coolness, deliberation, and experi- 
mental bent of the philosopher, the close 
observation and keen perceptive faculties of the 
naturalist, the broad reasoning powers of the 
logician, the ever-ready tact, diplomacy, and 
adaptability of the polished and urbane cosmopo- 
lite. 

In recognition of the comparatively slight 
attention which is given by many, not only of 
the comparatively uninitiated, but of those who 
otherwise rank as good players, to some of the 
more abstract features of the game, I can but 
feel before entering upon an analysis, or treating 
systematically of the technicalities thereof, that 
a brief reference to a few of the more important 
of these may not be unwise or inopportune. 

I desire, first of all, to touch upon mannerisms, 
than which there is nothing more reprehensible, 
or, when specially marked, more derogatory 
both to the character of the game and to the 
character of the player as an individual. Cassius 
M. Paine denounces them as "far more intoler- 
able than what are sometimes miscalled 'private 
conventions.' " 

4 



MANNERISMS, PENALTIES, ETC. 

The manner of a whist player, from first to 
last, should be characterized by calmness, delib- 
eration, and utter absence of cant or egotism, 
and the full complement of courtesy and consid- 
eration — in a word, should be quiet obliging, 
modest, and unassuming. 

Unobtrusively taking up our cards, we should 
count and carefully sort them, arranging the 
several cards of each suit in their recognized 
order as trick-makers, and alternating the suits 
as to color, taking at the same time a rapid 
mental inventory of their respective merits or 
demerits, as the case may be, and then should 
play them one and all, no matter what the devel- 
opments, with uniform calm and unmoved com- 
posure. 

What is in more questionable taste than the 
undue emphasis with which some players mark 
their play when winning, or the languishing, 
lackadaisical air which characterizes a certain 
class of players when losing? 

Not only is this reprehensible from a point of 
etiquette, but it is entirely at variance with one 
of the infallible marks of a good player; namely, 
5 



STANDARD WHIST 

to be no more elated over victory than downcast 
over defeat. 

In all phases of life, in whatever we under- 
take, the desire to meet with success is para- 
mount to every other consideration. This is not 
only natural, but right; it is a desire implanted 
by a divine ordering, and should be stimulated 
and encouraged to the last degree. If we finally, 
however, attain the object of our endeavors, is 
it courteous, right, considerate, or reasonable 
that we flaunt our success in the faces of those 
less fortunate? 

Then why should ,this be permissible at the 
whist table? What unwritten law makes it right 
or proper that we should exult, either covertly 
or openly, over our less fortunate competitors 
there? Would our laurels be less pronounced, 
our victory less excellent or complete, by the judi- 
cious use rather of a little tactful consideration 
and regard? Were the conditions reversed —and 
in whist, as in war, there are none invincible — 
by what right could we expect the smallest mod- 
icum of the generosity or consideration so per- 
sistently withheld by us? 
6 



MANNERISMS, PENALTIES, ETC. 

If our opponents score the victory, let us con- 
cede it to them gracefully and graciously. Let 
us in no wise seek to detract from the glory 
thereof, as I regret to say is frequently done, by 
affirming that their success is owing less to their 
own good play than to errors which we ourselves 
have committed. In reality, as every whist 
player doubtless knows to his sorrow, this is 
often the case, but is it not wiser and in every 
sense more courteous to abstain from publishing 
the fact? 

If we have committed errors which we may 
avoid in the future, we have marked an impor- 
tant era in our whist experience generally, and 
have, therefore, something over which to rejoice 
rather than lament. 

Let us bear in mind that the truth of the 
adage, *' Silence is golden and speech is silvern," 
is never more fitly exemplified than at the whist 
table; that, in short, "the nearer our play ap- 
proaches to the dumb man, the better." 

Let us remember that, in the words of Coffin, 
* 'every hand intelligently and carefully played 
is a direct gain in whist knowledge"; that, too, 
7 



STANDARD WHIST 

as the best faculties of the mind can be employed 
to advantage on but one thing at a time, the 
discreet player is he who concentrates his entire 
energies upon the subject in hand. 

Let us never by word, glance, or sign, give 
the slightest intimation as to the character of 
our hand. 

Let us in no sense be downcast if our cards 
repeatedly fall short of the average. There is 
far more honor in playing a poor hand well than 
in scoring hundreds of tricks for the simple rea- 
son that by virtue of the cards we hold it would 
be impossible to do anything else. The one 
trick saved under adverse conditions becomes 
the golden milestone which marks our successful 
pursuance of the mazy windings of the intricate 
and complex game. 

Let us never — upon this point it is impossible to 
lay undue emphasis — no matter how justifiable 
apparently the cause, complain of, or find fault 
with partner. Aside from the discourtesy of the 
act, there is infinite wisdom in abstaining from 
such a course. The result and successful out- 
come of the venture into which we have for the 
8 



MANNERISMS, PENALTIES, ETC. 

time being entered, is as much a matter of con- 
cern with partner as with ourselves. Our de- 
sires naturally are mutual, our interests identical. 
If, then, through error or errors of his, the result 
perhaps of momentary lack of perception, judg- 
ment, or memory, our score be appreciably low- 
ered, he, if uniformly a good player, will be as 
conscious of the dereliction as ourselves, and to 
this consciousness will be added the tormenting 
pangs of self-censure and remorse. 

If, on the other hand, his errors are the result 
of ignorance, the situation certainly will in no 
wise be improved by givi;ig vent to the vials of 
our wrath. Such a course will often tend rather 
utterly to disconcert and humiliate him, redu- 
cing him to that state of mind in which he is 
powerless to put forth even the little of 
which he might otherwise be capable, thus ren- 
dering him a continual and ever-increasing 
burden. 

The wise player is he who accepts his partner 

as he is, good, bad, or indifferent, and who, 

while ever ready to applaud him for good play, 

instead of for misplays covering him with abuse, 

9 



STANDARD WHIST 

by every means possible stimulates him to the 
very best of which he is capable. 

The whist table, truly may it be said, is the 
crucible which reveals one's disposition in its 
true and unvarnished light, and seldom, if ever, 
is the impression formed of one by some lapse or 
breach of good manners there entirely eradicated 
or overcome. 

The player who loses his temper not only lowers 
and debases the high moral and intellectual char- 
acter of the game, but casts upon himself a 
stigma, which, however brilliant his qualities, 
will cause him to be equally dreaded as a partner 
and shunned as an opponent. The player, in 
fact, who loses his temper loses something more 
valuable still and far more difficult to regain 
— viz., confidence and esteem of his fellow- 
players. 

Admitting that partner has committed errors, 
and perhaps serious ones, has our play been ab- 
solutely faultless? Have our inferences through- 
out been unqualifiedly true; have oar calcula- 
tions, plans, etc., been absolutely correct? 
Have we made the most of every difficult situa- 



MANNERISMS, PENALTIES, ETC. 

tion which has been presented to us? Can we, 
in a word, rise from the whist table steeped in 
the blissful consciousness that not one trick has 
been lost through error, oversight, lack of judg- 
ment, perception, or calculation on our own part? 
If so, either we are players (and mortals) de- 
voutly to be envied; or else, as in many other 
phases of life, intent only upon the mote which is 
in our brother's eye, we are serenely unconscious 
of the beam which is in our own. Our errors, 
to be sure, may not have made so appreciable a 
difference in the score, but that is not the ques- 
tion, nor does it in any sense modify or alter the 
fact of our having committed errors. 

I would upon no account wish it to be inferred 
that I would deprecate or do away with the habit 
of friendly comment and criticism. I consider 
this, on the contrary, one of the greatest essen- 
tials to the acquirement and successful practice 
of the game, and would encourage it to the last 
degree whenever and under whatever conditions 
it becomes practicable. 

If our score repeatedly be below the average, 
let us satisfy ourselves, whenever and wherever 
II 



STANDARD WHIST 

possible, as to whether this is owing to superior 
play on the part of our opponents, or is merely 
the result of some happy-go-lucky chance. Fos- 
ter affirms, and the assertion is borne out in 
fact by the experience of players generally that 
"downright ignoramuses sometimes hit on plays 
that surpass the cleverest devices of genius, and 
that, although we perhaps inferred correctly the 
position of the last five cards, the duffers never- 
theless took all the tricks and marked up the 
rubber." 

If the investigation, however, show superior 
play on the part of, our opponents, let us show 
ourselves in every way capable of appreciating 
the same. Let us emulate and strive to profit 
by the example which has been set us. In a 
word, let us resolve never to leave the whist table 
without carrying away some little germ of knowl- 
edge, some bright bit of information which can 
be carefully tucked away in the treasure trove 
of memory, and brought out and made to serve 
perhaps an effective and effectual use later on in 
our experience. 

A word now in regard to penalties : If we play 

12 



MANNERISMS, PENALTIES, ETC. 

whist at all, let us play it thoroughly, 
conscientiously, wisely, and well. Let us 
be punctilious in regard to detail, strict and 
consistent in regard to form. If a player lead 
out of turn, expose a card, make a revoke, etc., 
let us not only exact, but in our own case, 
cheerfully concede the penalty attached. 

This in reality works no hardship. It is a rule 
which applies both ways, and though to be sure 
its strict enforcement may be a little trying at 
first, and particularly to a player not overbur- 
dened with confidence or self-esteem, yet in pre- 
cisely the same ratio in which the burnt child 
dreads the fire and endeavors thereafter to keep 
himself strictly aloof, so we gradually but surely 
will learn to concentrate our forces, and to keep 
our mind intent only upon the subject in hand 
until finally the violation of any of the prescribed 
laws will be of infrequent occurrence. 

Every infringement of the laws which results 
in the payment of a penalty has an undoubted 
salutary effect, as indeed many of us have good 
cause to know from our own experience. 

A brief reference before concluding as to the 
13 



STANDARD WHIST 

relative excellence of woman's play as compared 
with man's. 

Until comparatively recent years the impres- 
sion prevailed that woman was unable to play 
whist, and in the rare instances in which any of 
the sterner sex could be induced to play with her 
at all, it was rather in a spirit of condescension 
and extreme toleration than anything else. 
This impression, happily, is fast dying away, and 
though it certainly was not without foundation, 
it is sincerely to be regretted that it should ever 
have existed. 

That with comparatively few exceptions, many 
of them, however, notable ones, women do not 
play whist as well as men, cannot but be ad- 
mitted ; that they cannot play as well, the suc- 
cessive periods of her advancement tend steadily 
to deny. Given her an equal amount of endur- 
ance, there exists in fact not the slightest rea- 
son why with proper training, care, and study 
woman should not attain the same degree of ex- 
cellence in the practice and pursuit of whist 
which has been attained by man. 

Let us, then — these remarks, it is needless to 
H 



MANNERISMS, PENALTIES, ETC. 

say, refer exclusively to the feminine portion of 
my readers — reduce our playing to a system, 
concentrate our forces, school, guard, and 
strengthen our resources, that we may in every 
way make ourselves "foemen worthy of their 
steel." Indeed, when we realize what woman 
has accomplished in the world of whist, why 
should we be satisfied with anything short of 
the best? 

The unique position which Kate Wheelock 
occupies has quite revolutionized the thoughts 
and opinions of the entire whist world, opening 
up before us a vista of heights and possibilities 
which before had existed but in the realm of 
dreams. Let us, then, keeping ever before us 
her lofty attainments, enter the vast and ex- 
haustive field, not as the lesser lights, content to 
shine by the reflected light of some greater mas- 
culine luminary, but as aspirants ourselves, 
Striving heart and soul for the highest honors 
which the whist world has it in its power to 
bestow. 



IS 



CHAPTER II 

THE LEADS — FIRST AND SECOND. PLAIN 
SUITS. 

"American whist is recreative work, enjoyable labor, 
paradoxical as that may seem; its riddle is fascination; 
its practice is intelligent employment; its play is mathe- 
matical induction; its result is intelligent gain." 

The very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings 
of my hand. — Macbeth, Act iv, Scene i. 

The leads are aptly styled the alphabet of 
whist. They are the keynote, the "Open 
Sesame," as it were, to the entire situation. If 
we would arrive at a proper appreciation of the 
inherent value of the combined game of whist, 
or if we would attain even a moderate degree of 
proficiency in the pursuance and study thereof, 
it is of paramount importance that we be thor- 
oughly familiar with the leads, not only to the 
extent of correctly making them, but of at once 
grasping, and as far as possible applying to the 
i6 



THE LEADS 

joint benefit their full significance when made 
by others. 

Lacking the ability so to do, we deprive our- 
selves entirely of the manifold advantage of the 
combined game. Lacking, too, a correct knowl- 
edge of the leads, it is useless to attempt the 
finer or more abstruse features of the game, for 
the very foundation, the corner-stone, as it were, 
has not been properly laid. 

As no less eminent a writer than Pole ob- 
serves, "Before becoming a fine player, one 
must learn to be a sound one." 

Before fairly launching upon the subject of 
"American Leads," so named by "Cavendish," 
the great English authority, in compliment to 
Nicholas Browse Trist, of New Orleans, their 
illustrious founder, and a factor so powerful and 
far-reaching in the world of whist as to have 
completely revolutionized the game, I desire to 
impress upon the minds of my readers the neces- 
sity of faithful, earnest, and conscientious study. 

Nothing comes to us without an effort; no 
goal is attained, no victory achieved, except in 
rare instances, without hard, long, and patient 
17 



STANDARD WHIST 

toil. The reservoir of our brain-pan will not fill 
up of itself; its waters, on the contrary, will 
ever remain dull and stagnant unless by our own 
efforts we cause to be turned upon it an ever- 
flowing, fresh, and limpid stream. 

But few people are born geniuses; if any espe- 
cial degree of excellence is attained in a particu- 
lar plain or direction, it is largely the result of 
individual labor, of tireless study, of persistent, 
indefatigable research. Why, then, should we 
imagine that we can become adepts in the art of 
whist without putting forth the means to the 
end? Or why delude ourselves with the belief 
that our own experience — paltry and insufficient 
at best — will enable us to offset and successfully 
cope with the experience — individual and com- 
bined — of the best of players for the past hundred 
or more years, or ever since the game was first 
reduced to any sort of system, for — a fact not 
to be lost sight of — the rules and principles laid 
down for our guidance are the direct results of 
this experience. 

In spite of this, not one of us but has met with 
the type of player — though it is pleasant to 
i8 



THE LEADS 

record that he is fast passing away — who openly 
exults that he has never read a book on whist in 
his life. Were he possessed of more penetration 
and less egoism, he would see for himself the 
utter needlessness of such a boast, the fact 
being too patent to admit of doubt. The self- 
sufficiency of such a player is beyond words to 
express; his short-sightedness is deplorable, his 
assertiveness, insufferable. He may be invested, 
too, and perhaps in no small degree, with the 
qualifications necessary to the making of a good, 
sound, and capable player — may be possessed, in 
short, of a no inconsiderable share of that most 
excellent quality termed card sense. Yet, owing 
to his overweening self-confidence and his fixed 
determination in no manner to familiarize him- 
self with recognized plays, signals, rules, and 
conventions, to both himself and the one so un- 
fortunate as to be his partner, the beautiful 
harmony and science of the game are as a sealed 
book, its pages inscrutably closed. 

But to go on with my subject. The full 
strength of the partnership game lies essentially 
in the long suit opening; in an immediate 
19 



STANDARD WHIST 

declaration as to what constitutes one's strong- 
est and therefore least vulnerable point of attack. 
This, both for the purpose, if possible, of estab- 
lishing the suit (if it be not already established) 
in the hope finally of bringing it in, and in 
order, by at once enlightening one's partner as 
to the component features of one's holding, to 
insure at an early stage the surest and most 
effective means by which the two hands may be 
best utilized as one. 

The long suit opening in other respects pos- 
sesses manifest advantages over any other open- 
ing; not only does it admit, as the game devel- 
ops, and as occasion may require, of full 
advantage being taken of any other system, but 
it serves from the very start as a good defen- 
sive lead, it being the one least calculated to 
contribute to the establishment of the suit of an 
adversary. 

The practicability of the long suit opening 
being, then, thus disposed of, the question which 
first suggests itself is in regard to the best card 
to select as an original lead. 



THE LEADS 



ORIGINAL LEADS, 



six in number, are classified as follows: Ace, 
King, Queen, Jack, Ten, and Fourth Best, 
under the last named being included the eight 
cards not above enumerated — nine, eight, seven, 
six, five, four, three, and two. 

The term, original lead, it should be borne in 
mind, applies in all its purity to the opening or 
first lead of the hand — to the lead, that is, of the 
eldest hand, or the player to the left of dealer. 

Though it is usual, unless developments 
render a contrary course advisable, for each 
player when first he makes a lead to open from 
his long suit, and with a conventional card, 
thereby proclaiming numerical strength, and 
sometimes, as well, the holding of certain high 
cards one is perfectly justifiable, after the first 
round has been played, in opening his hand in 
any manner which promises for his side the best 
and most satisfactory results. 

Departures of any kind, however, should be 
regulated by reason and tempered by the cool 
light of judgment. Better blindly to follow rule, 



STANDARD WHIST 

though our game be a mechanical one — the 
worst that can be said of a mechanical player 
perhaps is that he is but little dreaded as an 
opponent — than to depart therefrom in quest of 
some visionary goal which nothing in the fall of 
the cards or in our own hand justifies us in be- 
lieving we can attain. And better, vastly bet- 
ter, strictly to follow rule than to adopt a course 
which will prove utterly misleading, influencing 
throughout perhaps, and in many cases to our 
serious discomfiture, the special character of 
partner's play. 

The Lead of Ace js an unusually strong lead, 
it being governed by one of two important con- 
siderations — unusual nnmQvicsil strength, or aver- 
age numerical strength combined with Atg/i card 
strength. 

Briefly to sum it up. Ace is Led from any suit 
of six or more cards not containing both king and 
quee7i; from any suit of five or more cards contain- 
ing king, but not king and queen; from any suit of 
four or more cards containing queen and jack, but 
not king. 

The Lead of Ace, in other words, proclaims 

22 



THE LEADS 

six or more in suit; the presence of king {without 
queen) five or more in suit; or of both queen and 
jack {without king) four or more in suit. 

(Ace is also led from ace, queen, jack, three 
in suit. This, however, would constitute a 
forced or irregular lead, since every original lead 
should represent at least four.) 

The second lead after an original lead of ace 
is governed partly by the fall of the cards and 
partly by the special combination led from. 

When left with the commanding card it should 
in most cases be led, it being expedient to make 
our high cards while we may. 

When left with both second and third best, 
save only when the combination led from is ace, 
queen, jack, etc., the proper second lead from 
which, as will be presently shown, depends upon 
number in suit, second best should be led, 
thereby forcing the best and leaving third best in 
command. 

In other cases we follow with an original 
fourth best. 

A twofold significance attaches to the follow 
of ace with original fourth best. It denies, on 
23 



STANDARD WHIST 

the one hand, the holding either of the com- 
mand, or of both second and third best. It pro- 
claims, on the other hand, an original holding 
of at least six, and two cards of intermediate 
rank between the two leads. A discriminating 
partner, by considering the relative value of the 
second lead with reference to his own holding 
in the suit, and the fall from opponents, will 
often have it within his power to determine 
the precise value of these two intermediate 
cards. 

By noting, too, the absence of small cards, 
the ability to do which, by the way, constitutes 
one of the infallible marks of a good player, 
he can often estimate as to exact length of 
suit. 

Ace being led from suits of four or more cards 
containing both queen and jack, the choice for 
second lead is determined by length of suit. 

There is scarcely a more informatory lead than 
the second one from this particular holding. It 
at once denies the king, marks the queen or 
jack, accordingly as one or other of these cards 
is led, proclaims the minimum number in the 
24 



THE LEADS 

one case, and more than the minimum number 
in the other. 

We are guided in our choice thereof by the 
general rule laid down for second leads, when, 
having first led a high card, we are left with 
two or more high indifferent cards. Cavendish 
states the rule thus: " The secoiid lead will deter- 
mine the number of cards led from when the leader 
remains with two {or more) high indifferent cards. 
He leads the higher from the minimum number he 
can hold; the lower ^ if he holds more.'* 

Ace, we have seen, as an original lead, is led 
from four in suit only when the suit contains ace, 
queen,, jack. Queen and jack being high indif- 
ferent cards — indifferent because the follow 
of ace with either marks the holding of the 
other — the follow with queen proclaims four; 
with jack, more than four. 

I desire to consider briefly the ^inherent value 
of the second lead from this combination, though 
to do so carries me slightly beyond my province 
at the present time and renders it necessary to 
touch upon the play of third hand. It is an 
indisputable fact, however, that we can arrive at 

25 



STANDARD WHIST 

an absolutely correct estimate of the value of 
the leads by considering them, not simply in 
their abstract sense, but, as far as possible, with 
reference to their influence and bearing upon the 
play of third hand. 

To so familiarize one's self with the leads as 
to recognize them at a glance is comparatively 
easy. To get the proper inferences therefrom 
when they are made by others is an entirely dif- 
ferent and much more serious proposition, yet 
in the ability so to do, as far as possible applying 
them to the joint benefit, is contained the very 
essence of the combined game. 

Let us assume partner to hold king and two 
small cards of the suit of which we lead ace and 
then queen. Our choice of queen as second lead 
tells him to hold his king, even though he thus 
deprive himself of the ability later to put us 
again in the lead. The reason is manifest: Our 
holding in the suit consists of four cards only; 
unless, then, the remainder of the suit be evenly 
distributed, or unless some unlooked-for happy 
chance come to the rescue — and he who plays 
for the exceptional in whist is generally a loser — 
36 



THE LEADS 

partner's play of king to our queen would not 
unlikely throw the command ultimately with 
opponent. 

In other words, we have but four in suit; part- 
ner, three; six are with opponents. Unless 
these six are evenly divided, the fact is patent 
that four are in one hand. If partner, there- 
fore, drop king to our queen (unless, to be sure, 
he hold lo as well, when it would be necessary 
to the establishment of the suit in our hand that 
he should do so), it would simply be that the 
gods befriended us if the adversary who also 
holds four of the suit were not left with the com- 
mand on the final round. 

If our suit is to be blocked^ better^ infinitely better^ 
that it be blocked by partner than by opponent. 

It may be argued that the lo, the card next 
in value below the jack (declared in our hand) is 
as likely to be with us as to be held adversely, 
which being the case the suit would be blocked 
were partner not to play the king. This brings 
me to the one exception of following ace with 
queen when the lead is from the ace, queen, jack 
combination, four in suit. If the fourth card 
27 



STANDARD WHIST 

(the card lower than jack) be lo, the lo and 
not the queen is the proper second lead, it being 
the more informatory of the two. As when ace 
is followed with queen, this follow also pro- 
claims a holding of four; furthermore, by placing 
the lo, as well as queen and jack, it announces — 
what is of paramount importance to third hand — 
our entire control so soon as king is out of the 
way. It calls peremptorily, therefore, for the 
play of king. 

Now as to the follow of ace with jack. By 
this follow we proclaim the possession of queen 
and a holding of at least five. The conditions 
being different so far as length is concerned, the 
nature of our communication, also, is different, 
for we tell partner absolutely that we want his 
king — assuming him, as in the above-mentioned 
case, to remain with king and one guard only — 
that, in fact, a refusal on his part to play it would 
result in the blocking of the suit. 

To be sure, should either opponent have 

renounced or trumped to the first round, or 

should second player renounce or trump to the 

second, unless in the one case partner were able 

28 



THE LEADS 

to read us with a holding of at least seven, or 
in the other case of at least six, the expediency 
of withholding the king would of necessity make 
itself apparent. 

Having considered in their various bearings 
the lead of ace, together with the proper fol- 
low, I now proceed to 



THE LEAD OF KING 

A good general rule for the lead of king may 
be summed up as follows: 

King is led from suits of four (or even three 
— this, however, constituting a short suit lead) 
when containing the card next in sequence above the 
king {ace), or the card next in sequence below the 
king {queen), or both ace and queen. 

The lead of king, in other words, proclaims four 
in suit — this is the only high-card lead, by the 
way, which proclaims definitely as to number — 
and the presence of ace, or queen, or both. 

When led comformably to the first ruling, we 
follow king with ace; conformably to the sec- 
ond, with lowest card of suit, fourth best. The 
29 



STANDARD WHIST 

king holding the trick, the inference is that ace 
is with partner; it behooves us, therefore, on the 
second round to draw it, that queen may be in 
command for the third. 

To be sure no inference can be drawn subject 
to iron-clad rules, and there is a possibility 
always that the ace is being adversely held up. 
Even were this so, however, the small would still 
be the proper lead. 

King being led conformably to the third ruling, 
accompanied, that is, by both ace and queen, the 
choice for second lead falls upon queen prefer- 
ably to ace, as beings the more informatory of the 
two. One exception to this must be distinctly 
noted, to wit: — The object of the combined 
game being to give, not to conceal, information, 
it follows that when the fourth card of the suit 
is jack, in other words, when the suit is made 
up of the Quart Major, ace, king, queen, jack, 
not the queen, but the jack becomes the proper 
second lead. 

To an intelligent partner the situation will be 
as clear as though the cards were in his own 
hand. 

30 



THE LEADS 

Again: — if the suit consist of king, queen, 
jack, and any card lower than jack save lo, by a 
similar process of reasoning the choice for sec- 
ond lead (ace having been played to the first 
round) falls, not upon queen, but upon jack. 

In the event of ace not having been played to 
the first round, on the assumption that it is in 
the hand of partner, not the jack, but the small 
card should be led; otherwise, should partner's 
original holding have consisted of ace and one 
small only, the command might easily pass on the 
final round to opponent. A contingency of this 
nature is one to which we are especially liable 
when our suit consists of four cards only; there- 
fore at all such times it behooves both ourselves 
and partner to be more than usually on our 
guard, in order, if possible, to prevent our high 
cards from falling together. 

In conformity with the above line of reasoning, 
and that partner if remaining on the second 
round of the suit with ace and one small only, 
may recognize the importance of playing ace to 
this round, or for the informatory features in the" 
event of ace having been played to the first 
31 



STANDARD WHIST 

round, the choice for second lead, the suit con- 
sisting of king, queen, jack, and lo, falls, not 
upon queen, nor yet upon jack, but upon lo. 

If we thoroughly analyze the above various 
combinations, we cannot fail to see that strong 
underlying principles are at the foundation of 
every lead, and the further we advance in the 
delightfully complex and fascinating study of 
whist, the more and more convinced will we be 
of the undoubted wisdom, the strong common- 
sense principles, the clearness, the force, the 
exceeding practicability of the maxims and rules 
laid down for our guidance. Their one aim 
clearly is to so instruct us as to enable us in every 
particular to give the maximum information in 
the simplest and most effective way, and in the 
ability to do this surely is contained one of the 
chief requisites to the successful working out of 
the partnership game. 

The lead of king, save only when from both 
ace and queen, is undeniably the weakest of the 
high-card leads. It stands for a suit of average 
numerical strength only; hence, unless the suit 
otherwise be evenly distributed, or unless the 
32 



THE LEADS 

fall to the first and second rounds be unquali- 
fiedly in the leader's favor, the cases will be of 
rare occurrence where he will be in command 
for the final round. 

The follow of king with ace denies queen, the 
follow of king with small card proclaims queen, 
but denies ace. These are important inferences 
which third hand should carefully note and accu- 
rately weigh and consider. Unless he himself 
hold a good suit, or high-card strength in the 
shorter suits, the two hands throughout are 
undeniably weak, and anything like an aggressive 
game is usually clearly out of the question. 

The considerations governing 

THE LEAD OF QUEEN 

are simple in the extreme. 

The following rule covers the case: — 
Queen is led from foot of sequence to king or ace, 
five or more in suit. The lead of queen thus pro- 
claims the presence of king {^possibly of ace) and a 
holding of at least five. 

When led from sequence to king, the second 
lead depends of necessity upon whether queen 
33 



STANDARD WHIST 

falls to ace or holds the trick. If the former, 
we follow with king, the commanding card; if 
the latter, we drop to a low card, not necessa- 
rily to the lowest of suit, but to such an one as 
will leave remaining in our hand two cards of 
intermediate value between our two leads, as 
when we lead a small card after an original lead 
of ace. 

The small-card led after an original lead of 
ace ranks as an original fourth best; after an 
original lead of queen, as fourth best remaining, 
or original fifth best. 

The slight variation in form is attributable to 
the fact that in the one case the card originally 
led is the card heading the suit^ while in the other 
case it is the second best of the suit; the principle 
involved in the two cases is identically the 
same. 

Queen being led from foot of sequence to ace, 
the follow, as in other cases when left with high 
indifferent cards, depends upon number. Fol- 
lowed by ace, five exactly are proclaimed; by 
king, more than five. 

Now for a brief r^sum^ of the play of third 
34 



THE LEADS 

hand, when holding certain combinations, bear- 
ing upon the lead of queen : — 

Holding ace, jack only of the suit, third hand 
at once plays ace, the reason being obvious. 
(He observes the same play, and for the same 
reason when, holding these 'two cards only, 
king is led.) Holding ace, jack, and one small, 
he plays small to the first round and ace to 
the second, thereby freeing himself of the com- 
mand while as yet he has the jack as a return 
lead. His correct play when holding combina- 
tions other than those given, or more than three 
in suit, will be found fully discussed under Third- 
Hand Play 

THE LEAD OF JACK 

is not only one of the strongest leads, but it is 
without doubt the most significant and infor- 
matory of all the leads. This is the only lead 
which denies no card; the jack, therefore, would 
be the correct lead from a suit made up exclu- 
sively of the thirteen cards of one suit. The 
queen and jack leads, also, are the only ones 
which ^roc\2Am prima facie a holding of as many 
35 



STANDARD WHIST 

as five. The other leads may be from four; if a 
greater number be held it is usually the second 
lead rather than the first which proclaims the 
fact. 

A good general rule for the lead of jack may 
be stated as follows: 

Jack is led from all suits of five or more cards 
containing sequence to king^ or sequence to ace; that 
is^ from all suits of five or more cards containing 
both king and queen^ with or without ace. 

The lead of Jack, then, proclaims a holding of at 
least five and the presence absolutely of both king and 
queen. If ace also be held the first round usually 
will indicate. 

In conformity with the general rule for second 
leads when left with high indifferent cards, if 
jack be followed by ace, five exactly are pro- 
claimed; if by king (ace also being in hand), six 
exactly; if by queen (ace also being in hand), 
seven or more. 

Jack being led from foot of sequence to king, 
the follow with king proclaims five; with queen, 
more than five. 

Not only does the lead of jack put third 
36 



THE LEADS 

player, one's partner, in possession of definite 
inferences as to the essential features of one's 
holding in the particular suit, but it enables third 
player as well — when holding the ace — by play- 
ing or retaining it, as the case may be, to inform 
the leader approximately at least in regard to his 
holding, his play being in harmony with the prin- 
ciple of retaining the command so long only as 
it does not interfere with the establishment of 
the suit in the leader's hand. 

To be sure the ace may be the only card he 
holds of the suit, or he may be induced to play 
it earlier than he otherwise would in order, per- 
haps, to lead trumps. I am speaking of correct 
play and correct inferences, not under excep- 
tional, but under ordinary conditions. So long, 
then, as partner retains the ace, we read him 
with two other cards at least of the suit; so soon 
as it is played with but one. As a direct result 
of the information thus afforded, it is given us 
frequently to count the cards^ a habit, by the way, 
which we should strive to acquire as early as pos- 
sible, it being of the greatest value and often 
proving an infallible guide as to correct play in 
37 



STANDARD WHIST 

cases where otherwise we would be involved in 
doubt. 

To illustrate the case: Jack, we will say, is led 
from foot of sequence to king, six in suit, the 
jack holding the trick. To the lead of queen, 
second round, partner plays the ace. Opponents 
follow to both rounds. Eight, therefore, of the 
suit have been played; four remain with us. 
Twelve, then, are definitely accounted for. 
Who holds the missing one? Partner or oppo- 
nent? In the mind of a discriminating player 
there can be no doubt, as partner, if holding 
originally ace and one other only, would have 
played ace to the first round. 
. , We have been repeatedly warned against the 
continuance of a suit of which it is apparent 
both opponents are void, they not at the same 
time being disarmed of trumps; hence, we at 
once recognize the importance of leading trumps 
(if the hand otherwise admits of the play), or at 
least of resorting to some expedient which 
promises results less disastrous than would be 
apt to follow upon the immediate continuance of 
the suit. 

38 



THE LEADS 

A simple rule for 

THE LEAD OF TEN* 
may be given as below: 

Ten is led froin all suits of four or more cards 
containing both queen and Jack, but neither ace nor 
king; in other words ^ from foot of sequence to que en ^ 
four or more in suit. 

The lead of lo, then, proclaims four or more in 
suit, and the presence of both queen and jack, but of 
neither ace nor king. 

The second lead after an original lead of lo 
depends, as in other similar cases, upon length of 
suit. If there be four only, the queen will pro- 
claim it; if more than four, the jack. 

Having considered in all their bearings the 
various^^combinations which call for the lead of 
a high card, it remains but to add that from 
suits not containing these combinations a low 
card should be led, not necessarily the lowest of 
suit, but the fourth best card, counting from and 
including the card heading the suit, familiarly 
known and spoken of as 

* Third hand's play in connection with the lead of lo, also of 9, will 
be fully explained under Third Hand. 

39 



STANDARD WHIST 

A FOURTH BEST LEAD 

A correct understanding of a fourth best lead 
implies a correct knowledge of all the high-card 
leads; a fourth best lead is, in fact, in every 
sense much more significant than at first appears. 

While it denies the holding of such a combina- 
tion as would call for the lead of a high card, it 
proclaims, on the other hand, three cards higher 
and possibly one or more lower than the one 
led. The relative value of these three cards 
an observant partner, by taking into considera- 
tion the rank of the card led with reference to 
his own holding and the fall from opponents, 
will often be enabled definitely to ascertain. 
By carefully noting, too, the absence of small 
cards — the importance of which practice has 
been already referred to — he can often deter- 
mine as to precise length of suit. It may be 
that upon the correct turning of inferences of 
this nature will hinge the one play upon which 
depends the success or failure of a player's entire 
hand. 



40 



THE LEADS 



THE LEAD OF NIXE, 



though, to be sure, an original lead only in the 
sense of a fourth best lead, is entitled to special 
mention as being fully as important, and as ad- 
mitting of as adroit play on the part of third- 
hand player as any of the high-card leads. 

The lead of 9 marks in the leader's hand one 
of three important combinations — ace, queen, 
10, 9; ace, jack, 10, 9; or king, jack, 10, 9. 

How and why this is so will become easily 
apparent if we but sort the cards into all the 
combinations possible with the 9 in each case 
ranking as a fourth best card. Save only when 
the suit is made up, as above stated, of ace. 
queen, 10, 9; ace, jack, 10, 9; or king, jack, 
10, 9 — in the two former cases not more than 
five in suit, for if six or a greater number were 
held, the ace would be the proper lead — the con- 
ditions would be changed and applicable to the 
requirements of a high-card lead. 

The second lead after an original lead of 9 is 
governed, first of all, by the particular combina- 
tion led from. If led from ace, queen, jack, 10, 

41 



STANDARD WHIST 

etc., the second lead should be ace, the com- 
manding card. If led from king, jack, lo, etc., 
it depends of necessity, upon the fall to the first 
round. If the 9 draw the ace but not the queen, 
the second lead should be king, the command- 
ing card. If it draw queen, or both ace and 
queen, the king, jack, and 10 become of indiffer- 
ent value, and, as in other similar cases, the 
choice depends upon length of suit. If there be 
four only, the king will proclaim it; if five, the 
jack; if more than five, 10. 

In the event of 9 holding the trick,* Cavendish 
advises the follow with jack (jack and 10 being 
high indifferent cards in the leader's hand) if the 
suit consist of four cards only; if of more than 
four, with 10. 

The correct lead in other cases on the second 

* This particular phase of the question does not seem to have been 
specially considerea. However, the follow with a small card, as 
doubtless would be advocated by some, oa the assumption that possi- 
bly ace and queen both are with third player, would at times be im- 
practicable, owing to the suit consisting of king, jack, lo, 9 only. In 
order, then, to preserve uniformity, the better policy, it would seem, 
would be in accordance with the form as above given. This, too, 
would effectually force a high card from second player, if — while a re- 
mote possibility, nevertheless one liable to develop— it should have 
suited him on the first round, holding, say, ace, queen, 8, etc., to hold 
up queen in the hope eventually — trump conditions being in his favor 
—of winning three tricks in the suit. 

43 



THE LEADS 

round of a suit after an original lead of fourth 
best depends so largely upon the fall to the first 
round that it is impossible to lay down anything 
specific, or which will apply to [,each and every 
case. 

If left with the commanding card, it is gener- 
ally best to lead it. The rule calling for the 
commanding card on the second round of a suit — 
whatever be one's position at table — except 
when, it being in the hand of leader and of 
indifferent value with other high cards, it be- 
comes expedient to lead one rather than another 
in order to proclaim number, or except when it 
is in sequence with one or more lower cards, or 
from the previous fall we have reason to know 
that a smaller card will be just as effective — 
admits of but little variation, there being the 
inevitable fear always that the third round will 
bring down an adverse trump. 

If left with both second and third best cards, 
second best usually should be led. This in order 
at once to force the best and leave third best in 
command. 

In other cases, unless developments perhaps 
43 



STANDARD WHIST 

have been of such a nature as to render the lead 
of a small card inadvisable, when one of inter- 
mediate rank may be led, it is usual to follow, 
either with the card next in value above the one 
first led (the suit consisting of four only), or the 
one next in value below the one first led (the 
suit consisting of more than four). This latter 
rather than of necessity with the lowest of suit — 
the suit consisting of more than five — the more 
effectually to proclaim in regard to number. 

As to the expediency of continuing a suit a 
third round or of changing to a fresh one, it is 
impossible definitely to say, our course being 
determined by developments, by our relative 
strength or weakness in trumps, and by our hold- 
ing in the other plain suits. 

If our suit be established — a suit is estab- 
lished when we hold the complete control — and 
we hold at least four trumps with possibly a 
re-entry of another suit, there is undoubted 
policy in resorting to the lead of trumps, no 
trump strength having been shown adversely. 
This step becomes advisable occasionally, the 
suit being established, though we hold less than 
44 



THE LEADS 

four trumps, if we hold considerable protection 
in one, or moderate protection in both of the two 
remaining suits This will be found more fully 
referred to in the chapter on Trumps. 

In the event of the trump lead being inexpedi- 
ent, we should by all means go on with the suit, 
particularly if holding the command, if it is 
likely we may thereby force the strong adverse 
hand. This is a question sometimes difficult to 
determine, especially in the early and yet unde- 
veloped stages of the game. It will generally 
develop, however — this being in accordance 
with the doctrine of probabilities — that a player 
who is void of a suit early in a hand is one who 
holds four trumps at least, and whose hand, 
therefore, it is to our advantage to weaken. 

It is generally better, too, to go on with our 
suit rather than resort to the doubtful policy of 
opening up a fresh weak one; especially is this 
advisable if it is likely we can thereby advanta- 
geously //^^^ the lead. 

To sum it up in a word, it is better as a rule 
to go on with the suit, we not having trump 
strength sufficient to justify the lead of a trump 
45 



STANDARD WHIST 

and developments not having made it apparent 
that both opponents are void. To be sure, if 
partner has developed a suit, and especially if we 
have a strengthening card of the suit to lead him, 
or if we may lead through the strong or up to the 
weak^ we may resort, as our judgment dictates, 
to one of these alternatives. 

So, also, it would be best not to persist with 
the suit, it being still unestablished if a continu- 
ance of it would be likely to force partner, the 
conditions otherwise not justifying our so doing. 

Conformably to the principle that it is ill- 
advised to allow one's hand accurately to be 
counted by a strong adversary, the number 
showing leads'in cases where trump strength is 
declared adversely, may be modified to suit the 
will of the player. It would be quite proper, 
for instance, the conditions being of this nature, 
to lead king rather than queen from king, queen, 
five or more in suit; or vice versa, queen rather 
than king from king, queen, four in suit; to 
follow jack with ace from ace, king, queen, jack, 
six or more in suit, or with king or queen from 
ace, king, queen, jack, five in suit. 
46 



THE LEADS 

If, before the chance offers for making a lead 
from our suit, the original conditions governing 
the lead have changed, that is to say, if we have 
weakened the suit either by a discard or by ruff- 
ing — it being the trump suit — we ignore in our 
calculations the card or cards which have been 
previously played, and lead from it as it stands 
at the time the lead is made. If, for instance, 
we have discarded from a suit calling originally 
for the lead of queen, the suit consisting of king, 
queen, and three small cards, the conditions at 
the time we make the lead call, not for the lead 
of queen, but of king. 

One exception to this rule exists both in the 
case of plain suits and of the trump suit, to wit: 
If, the suit being plain, the conditions originally 
justified the lead of ace (ace being led from any 
combination save only ace, king, five in suit, for 
in this case the king would become the proper 
lead), the ace should still be led as the condi- 
tions governing the lead are unchanged. 

So, also, if prior to the development of a 
trump signal by partner, we, with an original 
holding of four trumps, have used one for ruffing, 
47 



STANDARD WHIST 

in response to the signal, unless holding the com- 
mand, or a finessing card, we lead the lowest 
rather than the highest of the three remaining 
in hand. This insures the best chance of 
informing partner at an early stage as to our 
original holding. 



48 



CHAPTER III 

SHORT SUIT LEADS — OTHERWISE FORCED OR 
IRREGULAR LEADS 

" Every man's conscience must be his guide as to the 
amount of time he can devote to the pursuit of whist, but 
he need not think it time lost any more than the same 
hours given to algebra or any other study which means 
mental exercise only." 

" Whist is both a science and an art." 

The importance of leading originally from our 
long suit, and such a card, when practicable, as 
will put partner in possession of definite infer- 
ences as to the component features of our hold- 
ing in the suit, has been repeatedly forced 
upon us. 

As every hand of necessity contains one suit 
of at least four cards, and as this number — the 
average to each player of any one suit, there 
being thirteen cards distributed among four 
players, being, strictly speaking, three and a 
49 



STANDARD WHIST 

fourth — constitutes numerical strength, the cases 
should be of rare occurrence where we need be 
in any uncertainty as to our original lead. 

Situations may and do arise, however, which 
involve more or less doubt, not, to be sure, as to 
what constitutes our long suit, but as to its 
inherent value, and the advantages to be gained 
in a trick-making sense by leading from it. 

Let us consider the following — a somewhat 
exaggerated case, to be sure, but in view of the 
infinite variety of which deals are capable, one 
not unlikely to occur — a hand made up of a four- 
card suit composed of the 5, 4, 3, and 2, and 
three three-card suits, one consisting of the 
Tierce Major, ace, king, queen. 

The question resolves itself not so much into 
what promises the largest gains as to what offers 
the least prospect of loss. As becomes instantly 
apparent, our only hope of scoring one trick in 
the suit, viewing it upon its own merits, lies in 
the chance of finding the remainder of the suit 
evenly distributed in the other three hands and 
in the maximum of trump strength being in the 
hand of partner. 

50 



SHORT SUIT LEADS 

So far as immediate results are concerned, 
there can be no doubt of the advantage of open- 
ing from the ace, king, queen suit, and should it 
turn out that this were partner's suit, well and 
good. We would have rid ourselves of the com- 
mand, and in every way worked to the best 
interests of the two hands. If, however, and 
having two opponents and but one partner, the 
chances are two to one in favor of this contin- 
gency, the short suit should turn out to be the 
suit of opponent, would we not have established 
the suit for him? The very object which he 
would endeavor to attain had he the lead, we 
would generously though unwittingly have 
accomplished for him. We would, in short, in 
every sense of the word have played the oppo- 
nents' game rather than our own. 

Let us go still further, and assume — a contin- 
gency not unlikely — that having led from the 
short suit, the lead is still with us for the fourth 
round. What would we have accomplished? 
What would be our next recourse? Would we 
then take refuge in our long suit, or would we 
blindly risk another venture from a short one, 
51 



STANDARD WHIST 

thereby materially aiding perhaps in the estab- 
lishment of another adverse suit? 

The choice, as can be seen, is sometimes a 
difficult one, not so much as pertaining to the 
example cited, for in so extreme a case the 
majority even of the most conservative of long 
suiters would unhesitatingly declare in favor of 
the short suit, as in cases where the three-card 
suit is relatively weaker and the four-card suit 
relatively stronger, though headed by nothing 
higher, perhaps, than an eight or nine. 

Whist inspiration is unfortunately most rare; 
the friendly light which would illumine our per- 
plexed brain and infallibly guide us in such and 
similar cases as to the best course to pursue is 
but seldom forthcoming. 

Cavendish, however, affirms that as we 
descend in one scale and ascend in the other, 
there comes a point where the two descriptions 
of strength nearly or quite balance. This being 
true, it cannot but be better, immeasurably so 
in the great majority of cases, to adhere strictly 
to the long suit opening, thereby doing away 
with the possible danger and resultant stigma of 
52 



SHORT SUIT LEADS 

deceiving partner, and placing it within his 
power, if winning the trick — and he stands usu- 
ally an even chance of so doing — to at once open 
up and declare a suit of his own. The practice 
at any rate is a safe one, and one the observance 
of which will seldom, if ever, lead us into diffi- 
culty or surround the course of a trustful and 
unconscious partner with unexpected shoals and 
quicksands. 

Even when the only four-card suit is the trump 
suit, there is no need usually for any deviation 
from the rule. This phase of the question will 
be found discussed more fully under the heading 
of Trumps. 

The above remarks apply in their full force, it 
is perhaps unnecessary to state, to the opening 
or initial lead of the deal — when all the hands 
except our own are as a sealed book, and we 
must be guided solely and entirely by the doc- 
trine of probabilities and by what the best and 
most successful experience has demonstrated to 
be for the greatest good in the greatest number 
of cases. 

Later we have some data to guide us — some 
S3 



STANDARD WHIST 

premises on which to base calculations and infer- 
ences. If developments, then, point to the 
inexpediency of opening from our long suit, it 
will seldom be the case that we need be in doubt 
as to the best alternative. One or more other 
suits will have been declared; partner's may 
have been led, or we may know it inferen- 
tially; or, lacking anything definite on this 
score, we may put in practice the ever-important 
principle of leading through the strong^ or up to the 
weak. 

All contingencies being possible in whist, how- 
ever, it will undoubtedly be the case at times 
that we must resort to unconventional openings 
having no definite knowledge of any of the suits 
except our own. Cases are apt to arise, for 
instance, where, having originally led from our 
suit, the fall to the first round points to the inad- 
visability of going on with it— partner, or per- 
haps opponent, being obviously short, and it not 
being desirable to force them. 

Situations are liable to arise, too, where right 
opponent, he alone having had a lead, declares 
the suit which also is our best, which being the 
54 



SHORT SUIT LEADS 

case, the continuance of the suit by ourselves, 
unless holding the complete control, or unless, 
it may be, for the purpose of forcing partner 
(the conditions otherwise justifying our so 
doing) would be a direct violation of one of the 
most important principles of the game. 

In these and similar cases, unless having 
another suit of numerical strength, and occasion- 
ally when this is the case, we preferably open 
from a short suit, if possible from one made up 
of, or at least headed by, a sequence of moder- 
ate value, as queen, jack, lo; queen, jack, and 
one small; jack, lo, 9; jack, 10, and one small, 
etc., all such by reason of their peculiar con- 
struction being best calculated to work to the 
greatest good of partner's hand and the least 
injury of our own. 

Leads of this description are properly termed 

FORCED LEADS, 

we being forced to adopt them owing to the 
unusual developments and peculiar needs and 
exigencies of the game. 

A lead from a three-card suit containing a 
55 



STANDARD WHIST 

Major Tenace, as ace, queen, and more espe- 
cially a Tenace Double, as ace, queen, lo, is in 
most cases unwise, unless, it must be directly 
understood, partner may have developed strength 
in the suit, and the lead is for the purpose of 
STRENGTHENING him, of aiding him — that is, 
both by getting rid of what high cards we hold 
of the suit, and by forcing higher ones if held 
adversely to the early establishment of the suit 
in his hand. 

A lead from a two-card suit, also, especially if 
the suit contain an honor not in sequence with 
another honor, unless again for the purpose of 
strengthening partner, should in most cases be 
avoided. 

The lead of a singleton — a Singleton, is a 
lone card of any suit — should only be resorted 
to in cases where, our suit having been already 
declared, there can be no danger of partner's 
being deceived into supposing it to stand for our 
best. The possible benefits accruing to oppo- 
nents from our strict observance of conventional 
form — this cannot be too firmly impressed upon 
us — are in nowise commensurate with the irrepa- 
56 



SHORT SUIT LEADS 

rable harm which may come to our side by our 
adoption of a single misleading play. 

The only singleton conceded justifiable as an 
original lead, except developments be most 
exceptional, or the situation most critical, is the 
ace of trumps, and this only is justifiable when 
we hold commanding strength in the three plain 
suits. The ace of trumps at once followed by a 
plain suit can leave a penetrating partner at least 
in no doubt as to the true situation, or as to the 
importance on his part as far as within his power 
lies, and as speedily as possible, of exhausting 
the adverse trumps. 

A lead from a two-car a suit calls for the higher 
of the two, save occasionally in the end play of a 
hand when it is not desirable that partner should 
finesse in the suit. (Finesse will be found consid- 
ered under Third Hand.) 

A lead from a three-card suit calls for the card 
heading the suit if it be headed by two high cards in 
sequence — it is usual, however, to lead king rather 
than ace, from ace, king and one small — or if it 
be headed by jack or card lower than jack; otherwise 
for lowest of suit. 

57 



STANDARD WHIST 

The lead of the highest of three, the suit 
being headed by two high cards in sequence, or 
by jack or card lower, offers the surest means of 
enabling partner successfully to finesse in the 
suit. At the same time we incur no special risk 
to our own hand in case the suit should turn out 
to be the suit of opponent. 

The lead of the lowest of three, the suit being 
headed by card higher than jack, though not by 
two higher cards in sequence, admits often of 
defense on our part should opponent develop 
strength in the suit. Should the suit turn out 
to be partner's, a little foresight will in the gener- 
ality of cases enable us to rid ourselves of our 
high card of the suit before there is danger of 
its blocking. 

When a lead from a short suit is for the pur- 
pose of strengthening partner in the suit, the 
lead assumes a different character, becomes in 
strict parlance an 

IRREGULAR LEAD 

rather than a forced lead — a lead, that is, directly 
at variance with given rules for leads under 
ordinary conditions. 

58 



SHORT SUIT LEADS 

Leads of this character demand the lead of the 
card heading the suit, irrespective of its value; in 
other words, we give partner the best of our weak- 
ness^ not only the sooner to apprise him of our 
being short in the suit — had we as many as four, 
unless holding the command^ or an original high- 
card leady we would lead the lowest — but in order 
at once to rid our hand of such a card as might 
otherwise block, and Vill at the same time per- 
haps assist in the establishment of the suit in 
his hand. 

In such cases if the card led hold the trick, or 
so soon as the opportunity offers for the continu- 
ance of the lead, we follow, not with the lowest 
of suit, but with the card next in value to the 
one first led. This not only works frequently to 
the early and complete establishment of the suit, 
but aids partner in determining the number we 
hold; by inverse calculation, then, the number 
held by opponents. 

In other words, it enables him to infer at an 
early stage as to the particular distribution of 
the unplayed cards of the suit not in his own 
hand. 

59 



CHAPTER IV 

TRUMP LEADS 

"The greatest pleasure in life is winning at whist; the 
next greatest pleasure, losing." 

" In whist, as in war, there are no trifles." 

The leads in trumps are essentially different 
from the plain suit leads. If we but give the 
subject a moment's consideration, the reason 
for the difference, and not only the reason, but 
the undoubted wisdom of the reason will at once 
strongly appeal to us. We shall see that the 
principle involved is entirely in accord with the 
principles throughout of the American lead sys- 
tem, a system, which at all times and under all 
conditions is susceptible of close analysis, and, 
what is greatly more to the point, bears convin- 
cing evidence of its merit in the test of actual 
play. When possessing certain combinations of 
high cards in plain suits, we lead a high card 
60 



TRUMP LEADS 

preferably to a low one. Why? The answer is 
twofold : First, the trick otherwise might be won 
adversely with a low card; secondly, our high 
cards if held too long are liable to be trumped, 
and therefore not make at all. 

In the trump suit, and in plain suits as well, 
when the adversaries are exhausted of trumps, 
the latter contingency at least does not exist, 
and as it is of the highest importance, a fact 
with which we cannot be too strongly impressed 
that we be in the lead when the last trump is played^ 
the policy of playing a backward game becomes 
so apparent as to call for no discussion. 

An immediate lead of our high or commanding 
trumps, our holding not being sufficiently strong 
to justify it, not only makes good the chances of 
the command ultimately being held adversely, 
but practically reduces partner's chances of win- 
ning a trick in the suit to one in three instead of 
one in two. 

The lead of a low trump, on the other hand, 

though holding high or commanding ones (the 

lead being from average strength only) insures 

the best chance of our being in control at a more 

6i 



STANDARD WHIST 

advanced, and therefore generally more critical 
period of the game ; at the same time, it gives 
partner, assuming that second hand will play- 
low — an even chance of winning the first trick, 
and with a card of comparatively low value. 

There is perhaps no whist principle which is of 
greater inherent value, or the successful applica- 
tion of which involves at times closer calculation, 
more complete subtlety, or deeper finesse than 
the one I have just referred to — that of retaining 
the control in trumps. Countless games are lost 
by ignorance or unmindfulness in this regard. 

The rules governing 

TRUMP LEADS 

may be stated as follows: 

If the suit be headed by three high cards in se- 
quence (the four honors and ten are classed as 
High Cards), or by ace^ queen and jack ^ irrespec- 
tive of number^ lead as in plain suits. 

Lead also as in plain suits if, there being six or 
more in suit, the suit contain three high cards; if, 
there being seven or more in suit, it contain the two 
master cards; or if there be eight in suit. 
62 



TRUMP LEADS 

In other cases lead original fourth best. 

When the first lead is a conventional high 
card, the second lead generally also should be 
conventional, the rules governing second leads 
in plain suits being applicable under usual con- 
ditions to second leads in the trump suit as 
well. 

When, however, the first lead is an original 
fourth best, and the leader not being marked 
with high indifferent cards, the number-showing 
leads cannot therefore be employed, it is best 
usually to follow with the lowest winning card. 
Having led, for instance, fourth best from ace, 
king, less than seven in suit, the follow with king 
is preferable to ace, as definitely locating the 
ace. 

SPECIAL TRUMP LEADS 

are leads resorted to either by reason of the 
bearing of the turned trump upon the leader's 
holding, or because of some development, per- 
haps an actual or impending cross ruff, which 
renders it expedient to at once lead out com- 
manding cards in order to insure as many rounds 
63 



STANDARD WHIST 

as possible before there is danger of the lead 
going from us. 

Owing to the general adoption of the fa/sg card 
lead — this will be found fully explained under 
Trumps — the necessity for special trump leads, 
bearing upon the card turned, has to a consider- 
able extent been done away with. When, how- 
ever, it is expedient to employ them, the best 
interests of the hand seeming to call for an 
immediate lead, the following rules will assist one 
in determining the proper card to lead. 

If holding two high cards in sequence above ^ or 
forming a fourchette, jivith a high card turned to the 
rights lead the higher of the two. Lead the higher 
of two or more high cards in sequence below a high 
card turned to the left. 

This in the one case prevents fourth player to 
the trick from winning the trick with the turned 
card; in the other case it forces this card at 
once from the hand of second player, enabling 
partner perhaps to overplay him, or, in any 
event, enables partner to regulate his play 
according to its known position, as well as by 
the rank of the card turned. 
64 



TRUMP LEADS 

It would be rulable, then, from ace, king, etc., 
queen being turned to the right, to lead first ace 
and then king; from ace, queen, lo, etc., jack 
being turned to the right, to lead queen; from 
king, jack, lo, etc., queen being turned to the 
right, king; from king, jack, 9, etc., 10 being 
turned to the right, jack; from queen, jack, 9, 
etc., 10 being turned to the right, queen; from 
jack, TO, 8, etc., 9 being turned to the right, 
jack; from jack, 10, 9, etc., king or queen being 
turned to the left, jack. Leads from short 
suits in trumps are the same as short-suit leads 
in plain suits, they being influenced throughout 
by the same considerations and subject therefore 
to the same rules. 



65 



CHAPTER V 

SECOND HAND 

Whist is the gentleman's game, the scholar's recrea-; 
tion, the thoughtful man's amusement.— C. E. Coffin. 

" The game of whist combines rest, recreation, and the 
polishing and sharpening of the weapons of thought and 
logic." 

But few of us, I am convinced, correctly appre- 
ciate the importanae of second hand play, the 
opportunities it offers for the adroit winning of 
tricks, and for imparting inferences as to the 
special character of one's holding in the suit 
declared by an adversary, which, to a partner 
possessed of an average amount of ingenuity and 
proper whist perception, can often be made to 
work both to the serious detriment of the origi- 
nal leader and the manifest advantage of the 
force combined against him. 

When a small card is led, fourth player (one's 
partner) stands usually an even chance of win- 
66 



SECOND HAND 

ning the trick; hence, a^ the maximum of 
strength in the suit is obviously to one's right, 
there is policy usually in holding up high cards, 
especially tenaces, until the return of the lead, 
when one becomes fourth player to the trick. 
The usual play, therefore, second in hand, is a 
low card ; generally, unless desiring to signal or 
echo — these terms will be explained in the chapter 
on Trumps — the lowest one holds of the suit led. 

By the improved order of play, however, the 
old rule, "second hand, low," is no longer an 
arbitrary and hard-and-fast rule of the game. 

Second hand, in fact, is no longer an automa- 
ton blindly following the letter of the law, but, 
as Foster aptly expresses it, "he is the intruder 
who continually steps between the leader and his 
partner and upsets their best laid plans." 

To a player thoroughly familiar with the six 
original leads the play of second hand becomes 
comparatively a simple matter, for upon the cor- 
rect turning of inferences derived from the lead 
bearing upon his holding the success or failure 
of his play throughout to a very appreciable 
extent depends. 

67 



STANDARD WHIST 

The principal exceptions to the play of a small 
card, second in hand, will be found briefly 
summed up in the following: 

Play high when holding such a combination of 
cards as would justify the lead of a high card. 

Cover the original lead of an honor from strength 
with ace. 

Cover a g or higher card if holding a FouR- 
CHETTE — that is, the card next in value above 
and the card next in value below the card led. 

Cover p with king^ queen^ or jack^ if holding any 
of these cards once guarded only. 

Play ace on small cg^rd led^ if holding as many as 
seven. 

Cover the card led in accordance with the principle 
of the Eleven Rule ^ whenever practicable. 

Now for a brief r^sum^ of the above plays: 
First: play a high card when holding such a 
combination of cards as would call for the lead 
of a high card. 

This important difference, however, should be 

distinctly noted: Cards in sequence, though 

occasionally led highest first, are played in their 

regular order of numerical progression, lowest 

68 



SECOND HAND 

first. Any reversal of this form (if not intended 
as the beginning of a signal or echo) would be 
wrong in principle and totally misleading, since 
the play of any card at second, third, or fourth 
hand denies (or at least, should deny) the hold- 
ing of the card immediately below it. The play 
of ace, for instance, denies king; the play of 
king denies queen; the play of queen denies 
jack, etc. The play of jack, on the other hand, 
leaves the inference that queen also may be in 
hand; the play of queen, that king also may be 
in hand; the play of king, that ace also may 
be in hand — none of these cards being known to 
be otherwise located. 

A twofold reason controls the play of a high 
card from a combination which calls for the 
play of a high card: The desire, first, to win 
the trick, or, by forcing a higher card, to pro- 
mote in rank the others held. The play is also 
governed to a greater or less extent by the con- 
siderations which under certain conditions govern 
the lead of a high card — viz., the inevitable risk 
otherwise of the high cards being trumped. 
Under the above ruling come all suits headed by 
69 



STANDARD WHIST 

ace, king; ace, queen, jack; king, queen; queen, 
jack, lo. 

When our holding in the suit led includes a 
sequence, not, however, heading the suit, as 
ace, queen, jack, etc., again not necessarily the 
high card which would be led, but the lower of 
the two high cards in sequence should be played. 
From ace, queen, jack, therefore, with or with- 
out others, jack should be played. 

A suit including ace, queen,* with or without 
others, calls for the play of ace on honor led, of 
queen on 9 led, the leader presumably holding 
king, jack, 10. 

A suit including ace, queen, io,§ etc. — ace, 
queen, 10, constituting a Double Tenace — 
calls for the play of ace on honor led; of 10, if 
small card being led, it be desirable to obtain 

* Cavendish further advises the play of queen on small card led, 
if, holding five in suit, the hand be weak in trumps. 

§ Cavendish advocates the following: " In trumps, play ten, or with 
cards in sequence, the lowest of the ten sequence. In plain suits, if 
strong enough in trumps to lead them, play ten, or lowest of sequence; 
if weak in trumps, play queen. With ace, queen only, play ten 
whether strong in trumps or not 

Cavendish advises further the play of the lower of the jack, ten 
sequence from a suit headed by King, jack, ten; also the cover of 
eight with ten from a suit consisting of an honor, ten, and one small, 
and of eight with nine from a suit consisting of jack, nine and one 
small. 

70 



SE'COND HAND 

the lead; otherwise for the play of small as the 
risk, it is claimed, of third hand winning the 
trick cheaply is likely to be more than offset by 
the disadvantage of being left in the lead should 
the lo hold the trick. This would be especially 
disadvantageous in cases where the only strength 
of our hand lay in this particular suit. 

A suit including ace, jack, lo, and consisting 
of less than seven — with as many as seven the 
ace should be played — calls for the play of low- 
est of suit, or the lower of the jack, lo sequence, 
accordingly as the suit led is a plain or the 
trump suit. As, the suit being plain, the lead 
of a small card would demonstrate that king and 
queen both were not with leader, one of these 
cards of necessity would be with third or fourth 
player; the play of a high card, then, would be 
simply a waste of strength. If the suit be the 
trump suit, the conditions are radically changed, 
as, owing to the backward lead, king and queen 
both may be with leader; the lower of the jack, 
lo sequence, then, should be played. 

Suits headed by high sequences, as ace, king, 
or king, queen, without regard to number in suit, 

71 



STANDARD WHIST 

call for the play of the lower of the cards in 
sequence; save only when the suit is the trump 
suit, or when, it being a plain suit, we have 
strength in trumps, and it seems expedient to 
retain the control. 

Suits headed by moderate sequences, as queen, 
jack; jack, lo; or lo, 9 — with sequences of lower 
rank it is best usually to play our lowest card — 
call for the lowest of suit, or the lower of the 
cards in sequence, according to number held. 
If holding four or more, we play our lowest card ; 
if less than four, the lower of the cards in 
sequence. In the one case we play to protect 
our own strength ; in the other, to protect any 
possible high-card strength which may be with 
partner. 

Cover the original lead of an honor from strength 
with ace. 

As the rule distinctly implies, these plays refer 
exclusively to the lead of an honor or 10 from 
strength. If the lead be from weakness, and 
especially if to known strength in the hand of 
third player, the situation is radically changed, 
and it becomes best usually to withhold the ace, 
72 



SECOND HAND 

though frequently right to cover with an honor 
lower than ace if holding one higher than the 
one led once, twice, and sometimes even three 
times guarded. This in order if possible to 
defeat the ostensible object of the lead — that of 
strengthening the hand of third player by enabling 
him to finesse. Especially should this play be 
observed in the trump suit, and more than ever 
so when the lead is in response to a signal. 

Cover a g or higher card if holding a FouR- 
CHETTE — the card next in value above and the 
card next in value below the card led constitut- 
ing a fourchette. The purpose of the play is 
the same as in the play just above referred to, 
namely, that of depriving third hand of the 
option of a finesse. A systematic covering of 
leads of this character forces a cover from third 
hand, and thus not only compels the expenditure 
to the same trick of two adverse high cards, but 
at times elevates to the rank of command in the 
hand of partner a card which otherwise would 
fall on a subsequent round to the adverse com- 
manding card. Many players believe so strongly 
in the value of this play that they cover even 
73 



STANDARD WHIST 

when holding an imperfect fourchette, jack, and 
8, for instance, on 9 or 10 led. 

The holding of a fourchette proclaims, prima 
facie^ an irregular lead, as a card which would 
be with leader were the lead conventional, must 
by the very nature of a fourchette be with the 
holder thereof. If queen, for instance, be led 
when second player holds king and jack, the 
lead is irregular, the conventional lead of queen 
proclaiming king. So, if 10 be led, and second 
player hold jack and 9, this lead also is irregular, 
as the conventional lead of 10 proclaims queen 
and jack. 

Cover p led with king^ queen^ or jack^ if holding 
any one of these cards once guarded only. The 
inherent wisdom of playing king on 9, when hold- 
ing king and one small only, is easily apparent. 
(If second player hold king, the 9, it is clear, is 
from ace, queen, or jack, 10.) The king, there- 
fore, would inevitably fall to the second round if 
not played to the first. 

The same conditions exist when, holding king 
and 9, 8 is led, and call also for the play of king. 

Reasons somewhat similar govern the play of 
74 



SECOND HAND 

queen or jack, when, holding either of these 
cards once guarded only, 9 is led. Not only 
does the play of the high card insure the only 
chance of saving it (for it would inevitably fall 
otherwise to the second round), but it insures the 
best chance of saving a possible high card in the 
hand of partner. 

There can be little doubt, in fact it has been 
demonstrated, that the play of king, queen, or 
jack, as the case may be, when once guarded 
only, wins a trifle oftener than it loses, regard- 
less of the rank of the card led. Still, though, 
as has been somewhat uniquely expressed, 
"Whatever you do, you wish usually you had 
done the other thing," it is extremely doubtful 
whether such play is for the best ultimate good 
of one's hand. It gives, in truth, evidence of 
weakness which it were generally best to conceal, 
satisfying the original leader on the return of the 
lead of the expediency of a finesse which it is 
not likely he would otherwise venture, thus often 
killing in the hand of partner a card which at a 
more advanced stage, and especially in the event 
of trumps being exhausted, might have proved 
75 



STANDARD WHIST 

a veritable rock of defense, effectually interfer- 
ing with the establishment and bringing in of 
the adverse suit. 

Some players approve of the play of the small 
card in plain suits, but of the honor in trumps, 
as, owing to the policy of the backward lead in 
trumps, the margin in favor of the honor win- 
ning is somewhat greater than in plain suits. As 
the proclamation of weakness in the trump suit 
can, however, be as readily turned to one's dis- 
advantage as a similar proclamation in plain 
suits — as it is in fact even less desirable in 
trumps than in plain suits that we inform a 
strong adversary of weakness, it is usually best, 
unless wishing to at once stop the lead, or the 
suit being plain, to obtain the lead in order per- 
haps to lead a trump, to adhere throughout to a 
uniform system, and play the small 

And infinitely better is it, as we can but be 
convinced if we consider the question in its two- 
fold phase, that our king, queen, or jack, as the 
case may be, be captured on the second round 
than that a card of partner's which might have 
proved a formidable weapon at a critical stage 
76 



SECOND HAND 

should be ruthlessly sacrificed to our inordinate 
desire to possess ourselves of the immediate 
trick. 

Play ace on small card led when holding as many 
as seven, otherwise, only when wanting the lead. 
With a holding of seven, the play of ace is 
imperative, and for obvious reasons ; with a less 
number, it is well usually to chance the first 
trick to partner. 

Cover the card led in accordance with the principle 
of the Eleven Rule whenever practicable. An 
application of this rule, for the invention of 
which the whist world is indebted to R. F. Fos- 
ter, the well-known whist expert, and the un- 
doubtedly versatile author of a number of 
works on whist, enables a player definitely to 
infer the number of cards higher than the one 
led which are not in the leader's hand — that is, 
which are variously distributed in the other 
three hands. The rule is applicable only to the 
lead of an original fourth best card. 

The most simple explanation, perhaps, of the 
rule appears in a formula elaborated by P. J. 
Tormey, one of the most enthusiastic and lead- 
77 



STANDARD WHIST 

ing whisters in the United States, into what is 
known as the Fourteen Rule. It is in sub- 
stance as follows: Enumerating the cards in the 
order of their relative value as trick-makers, 
the ace, by reason of its superiority in this 
respect, takes the precedence, in other words, 
it heads the denomination, and so makes the 
denominations of the cards run from two to 
fourteen. The original lead of a fourth best 
card marks three cards higher in the hand of 
leader. Deducting three from fourteen, the 
result is eleven, the number of cards in the suit 
exclusive of the three in the hand of leader. 
Deducting from eleven the face value of the card 
led — that is, the number of spots it contains, 
gives the number of cards higher than the one 
led which are against the leader. 

To illustrate, at the same time showing the 
manner in which such inferences can be applied 
to the interests of second-hand player: This 
player, we will assume, holds ace, king, lo, and 
8 of a suit of which 7 is led. By deducting three 
from fourteen, which gives eleven, and by fur- 
ther deducting from eleven, 7, the face value of 
78 



SECOND HAND 

the card led, he is enabled to read that four 
cards higher than the one led, 7, are not in the 
leader's hand; a momentary consideration, 
moreover, shows him that these four cards are 
in his own hand. Instead, therefore, of play- 
ing king, the correct play under ordinary con- 
ditions, and thereby weakening his hand to 
no purpose, he plays the 8, knowing that, bar- 
ring a trump from third hand, it will hold the 
trick. 

Again : — An ace originally led is followed by 8, 
original fourth best. Second player, holding 
king, queen, 9, and one or more small of the 
suit, having played small to the first round, on 
this round simply covers the 8 with 9, an appli- 
cation of the eleven rule again enabling him to 
infer (that original fourth best is led on the 
second round of the suit rather than on the 
first in no wise affects the correctness of the 
inference) that the card so played, barring a 
trump from third hand, will hold the trick, leav- 
ing him at the same time in full control of the 
suit. 

A question which involves more or less per- 
79 



' STANDARD WHIST 

plexity is when and when not, being void of the 
suit led, to trump. It may be stated as a rule, 
one, however, liable to important qualifications, 
that one should generally trump, the trick being 
a doubtful one (a Doubtful Trick is one the 
result of which is as yet uncertain) if holding 
less than four or more than five trumps. 

This rule, as stated, is liable to important quali- 
fications, and it will sometimes be found best 
to take the force holding four or five trumps, 
and to refrain from taking it holding three. As 
the cases wherein such exceptional plays should 
be observed depend- upon the developments of 
the game, upon the size of one's trumps, and 
upon one's holding in the remaining plain suits, 
it is impossible to specify them, and like excep- 
tional plays generally, they must be left to the 
reason and judgment of the individual player. 

If the trick be a sure one against us, and 
especially if we have reason to think that it will 
be followed by other winning cards to which 
partner doubtless must follow suit, we should 
trump, regardless of number, unless we can see 
that by passing we will make eventually as many 
80 



SECOND HAND 

tricks again as those we pass. A failure to trump 
under such conditions would constitute a trump 
signal, and a most emphatic one, and partner 
should get in at any hazard and comply with 
the demand. 

With regard to correct second-hand play on 
the second round of a suit, there is but little to 
say, much, if not all, depending upon the size 
of the card led, the special combination held, 
one's relative strength or weakness in trumps, 
and the inferences gathered from the previous 
round. We should ever bear in mind, however, 
the importance of playing the command unless 
having reason to know that a smaller card will 
be just as effectual, unless having trump strength 
sufficient to justify a finesse, or unless develop- 
ments point to our scoring one additional trick 
at least for the one we pass. 

The policy of holding up in trumps, either on 
the first, second, or subsequent rounds, should 
be resorted to whenever in the judgment of the 
individual player this promises for the best inter- 
ests of his own or his partner's hand. Second- 
hand play in trumps should be influenced 
8i 



STANDARD WHIST 

throughout to a greater or less extent by the 
considerations which affect the lead of trumps — 
viz., the importance of retaining the command. 
Especially should this policy be observed when, 
holding strength in trumps, we also hold a good 
plain suit. 

Obvious plays will suggest themselves in 
trumps by reason of the card turned. It would 
be right, for instance, to play king, queen, or 
jack, if, having turned either of these cards, 
we hold it once guarded only. So, also, it would 
be right to play king, queen, or jack, if holding 
either of these cards singly guarded, a higher 
honor is turned to our right. It would be obvious- 
ly right, also, to play jack in cases where, queen 
being turned to our right, we hold ace, king, 
jack, etc. ; or small card in cases where, queen 
being turned by partner, we hold ace, king, etc. 
Conformably to the principle that it is more 
important in cases where trump strength is 
declared strongly against us, to deceive adver- 
saries than to inform partner, it would be proper 
to play king rather than queen, if, holding these 
two trumps only, ace is turned to our right; or 
82 



SECOND HAND 

king rather than queen, if, holding king, queen 
only, we have turned the king. 

Plays of a similar nature will doubtless sug- 
gest themselves throughout as occasion may 
demand. 



83 



CHAPTER VI 

THIRD HAND 

"That which makes whist the greatest source of intel- 
lectual recreation, which imparts to it a fascination un- 
known to other diversions, is that it takes one so com- 
pletely out of himself." 

The Golden Rule is an excellent maxim for the guid- 
ance of the third hand. Let him do for his partner what 
he would like his partner to do for him.— R. F. Foster. 

The opportunities which third hand offers for 
play of a skillful and adroit nature, whereby we 
can impart inferences as to the relative strength 
or weakness of our holding in the suit which the 
leader (our partner) declares as his best, are 
varied and interesting in the extreme. In the 
entire province of whist we can in truth occupy 
no position which devolves upon us a greater 
responsibility, or which calls for a more thor- 
ough knowledge of conventional rules, or a 
stricter and more conscientious observance of 
84 



THIRD HAND 

the same, than when, as third hand, we find our- 
selves the partner of a thoroughly earnest, good, 
and intelligent player. . 

The system of American Leads, together with 
the improved order of the play of second hand, 
the direct result of these leads, has completely 
done away with the impression which formerly 
existed in regard to third-hand play, and the 
old rule, "third hand, high," has become prac 
tically a dead letter. To be sure there are 
countless instances wherein the rule must be 
strictly adhered to, but the belief that the play 
of third hand can be summarily dismissed by the 
formula of so concise and simple a riile — one 
the observance of which calls for no skill and is 
entirely void of the finer and more scientific fea- 
tures of the game — is not only erroneous, but to 
the whist player of to-day too utterly absurd to 
admit of discussion. 

The ability accurately and quickly to draw 
inferences both from the lead and the play of 
second hand, and as far as possible to turn to 
the joint benefit the knowledge so obtained, is 
the first and most important requisite to success- 
8S 



STANDARD WHIST 

ful third-hand play. In a word, to be a thor- 
oughly helpful and responsive partner, we must 
not only take in at a glance the full measure and 
significance of the lead — of the play of second 
hand as well — but by means of the intelligence 
through these mediums obtained we must be 
able at once to formulate the plan or system of 
play which offers the greatest apparent possibil- 
ities for the combined good, directing, it is need- 
less to say, all our forces toward the successful 
accomplishment of this end. 

Card sense is an excellent thing, and the pos- 
sessor thereof devoutly to be envied. To fancy 
for a moment, however, that the possession of 
this quality, even when developed to an unusual 
degree, renders it unnecessary for one to be pos- 
sessed of a certain modicum of conventional 
knowledge, is to confess to an amount of ego- 
tism which the player (to say nothing of the indi- 
vidual) were much better without. 

As William Mill Butler pithily observes, 
^* Whist geniuses may need no rule whatever, but 
they should not on that account throw those 
less gifted into chaos." 
86 



THIRD HAND 

When, as leader, we hold such a combination 
of cards as justifies the lead of a high card, cer- 
tain arbitrary rulings guide us as to the particu- 
lar high card to lead, the choice in some cases 
falling upon one, in other cases upon another of 
these high cards. As in many cases the high 
cards held by us are of the same inherent value, 
so far as our hand individually is concerned, 
the choice frequently may be said to represent a 
distinction without a difference. 

As can readily be seen, then, and as an able 
writer has aptly expressed it, "The leads, as a 
fixed system, have been adopted for the benefit 
of the partner of the player making them, rather 
than directly, of the player himself." 

Certain codes, certain rulings, certain leads 
from certain combinations have been devised, 
not so much for the benefit to the hand employ- 
ing them, as for the purpose of enlightening 
one's partner as to the essential features of one's 
holding. If this player, then, be not responsive, 
alert, and comprehensive, quick to grasp the 
situation, and to do all that in his power lies to 
turn the information afforded him to the com- 
87 



STANDARD WHIST 

bined good, infinitely better is it, in view of the 
fact that one has, perhaps, two shrewd and 
watchful opponents, that such information be 
withheld rather than disclosed. 

Now as to the details of third-hand play: 
Assuming, as in default of evidence to the con- 
trary, we have every reason to do, that the card 
which partner leads is a correct index to the 
character of his hand, it behooves us, his suit 
not being established, by every means within 
our power to assist him in establishing it; in 
gaining, that is, both by the play of what high 
cards we hold of the suit, and by forcing higher 
ones, if held adversely, for the small cards of 
his suit a value which does not intrinsically 
belong to them. 

To this end, and to take the trick if possible, 
it devolves upon us, a small card being led, to 
play the highest card of the suit which our hand 
contains, unless second hand has covered with 
a higher card than we hold, or unless the cards 
heading the suit in our hand are in sequence, 
when, in conformity with the recognized play 



88 



THIRD HAND 

of cards in sequence, the lowest of the sequence 
should be played. 

If, however, we hold ace, king, at least four 
in suit, the play of ace followed by the return of 
king is preferable to the usual form of king fol- 
lowed by the return of ace, as conveying the 
announcement of numerical strength, and there- 
fore warning partner against a further round of 
the suit until the opponents have been disarmed 
or partially disarmed of trumps. 

Still another exception exists to the above. 
This play, by the way, constitutes the one and 
only finesse permissible as a rule in partner's 
suit. 

FINESSE 
is a form of play based to a greater or less extent 
upon speculative inferences, and involving more 
or less strategy, whereby we endeavor to win a 
trick with a card lower than our highest and not 
in sequence with it. 

Finesse which applies to the play of second 
hand as well as third without doubt constitutes 
one of the most fascinating features of the game 
89 



STANDARD WHIST 

of whist. As Hamilton observes, "Rob whist of 
finesse, and you take from the game its greatest 
charm." 

When our holding in the suit of which partner 
originally leads a small card includes ace, queen, 
more than two but less than Jive^ it is eminently 
proper that we play queen (or, of course, jack, 
if holding ace, queen, jack) rather than ace, it 
being safe to assume that king^ the card against 
which we finesse, if not with partner, is as likely 
to be with right as with left opponent. The 
chances are two to one, in fact, in disfavor of 
this card being to our left. Should the finesse 
be unsuccessful — as Hamilton shrewdly observes, 
"The immediate success or failure of a finesse 
has nothing to do with determining the merit of 
play" — no error has been committed, and unless 
(an unlikely contingency, and one therefore 
scarcely worth considering) it so chanced that 
the king were a singleton in the hand of fourth 
player, in reality there has been nothing lost. 
Simply the order of tricks has been reversed, the 
first trick in the suit falling adversely instead of 
one on a subsequent round. 
90 



THIRD HAND 

If our holding consist of ace, queen only, the 
wisdom of the finesse becomes questionable, as 
should king be with second player, more than 
once guarded — a condition which our own 
numerical weakness makes more than ordinarily- 
probable — the play of queen would seriously 
interfere with the early establishment of the suit 
in partner's hand. Let us assume, for example, 
partner's suit to be headed by jack, and king 
with two or more guards to be in the hand of 
second player. As can readily be seen, the 
play of queen followed by the return of ace, 
frees right opponent's king for the third round 
and prevents partner's jack from becoming good 
until the fourth. On the other hand, the play 
of ace followed by the return of queen forces 
the adverse king on the second round and frees 
partner's jack for the third. 

So, if our holding include ace, queen, as many 
as five in suit, it is generally best also that the 
finesse be not made, the reason being obvious. 
Partner's holding consists of four cards at least; 
our hands contain jointly, therefore, nine, and 
possibly a greater number of cards of the suit. 
91 



STANDARD WHIST 

If the latter, one of the opponents is bound to 
be void on the second round at least; in either 
event, this contingency is likely to occur. It is 
best, therefore, to take no chances, but play the 
ace at once. 

As before stated, then, and as cannot be too 
early or too distinctly impressed upon the under- 
standing of the student, the only finesse permis- 
sible in partner's suit is against the second best 
card, or when we hold ace, queen, the Major 
Tenace. Even then the finesse is permissible 
only when we hold not less than three nor more 
than four of the suit. 

Any other finesse, though sometimes made 
and occasionally successful, so far at least as the 
immediate trick is concerned, is unwise, mislead- 
ing, dangerous, and entirely at variance with cor- 
rect, sound, and conscientious third-hand play, 
unless, as set forth by Hamilton, **there be 
something in the hand of the player who makes 
the finesse, viewed in conjunction with the state 
of the hand, the previous play, and the state of 
the score, which renders it otherwise justifiable. " 

On later leads, particularly if the lead demon- 
92 



THIRD HAND 

strate weakness in opponents* suits and in our 
own suit, we are allowed considerably more lati- 
tude, strength or weakness in trumps being 
usually a pretty correct guide as to whether a 
finesse would be right. If weak in trumps, it is 
wise usually to secure the immediate trick; if 
strong in trumps, and especially if strong enough 
to lead a trump if the finesse be successful, it is 
right generally to make it. It is usually right 
also to finesse against one, or even more cards, 
if upon the success of the finesse depends the odd 
trick. Contrariwise, it is wrong to finesse if by 
not finessing we may prevent the adversary from 
scoring the odd trick. 

As Butler summarizes it, **If you only want 
one trick, take the safest way of making it; if 
several, risk a bold game to obtain them." 

A strengthening card led to us by partner 
should, generally, be finessed, the same not being 
covered by second hand. Otherwise partner will 
have given of his best to no purpose, and the 
trick will cost us two high cards. 



93 



STANDARD WHIST 

A STRENGTHENING CARD 

is a card of high or intermediate rank, notably, 
king, queen, jack, lo, 9, which partner leads to 
our suit, declared or inferred, for the express 
purpose of forcing higher adverse cards, and 
thus working to the early establishment of the 
suit in our hand. How deeply we should finesse 
will depend upon our special holding in the suit 
and upon our relative strength or weakness in 
trumps. 

In the trump suit, owing to its inherent value, 
we can finesse much more freely than in plain 
suits. It becomes occasionally best, however, 
to take the immediate trick, even in trumps, in 
order to insure the continuance of the lead. 
Obvious plays will suggest themselves in trumps 
by reason of the card turned. 

THE OBLIGATORY OR ARBITRARY FINESSE, 

an extremely pretty and effective play, is the 
finesse on the second round of a suit of fourth 
best card, when, holding both second and fourth 
best, or when holding second best, fourth best 
94 



THIRD HAND 

is led by partner, the best is marked to our 
left. 

This finesse applies usually, [though not of 
necessity, to the hand of the original leader 
of the suit, and for the most part to cases where, 
the suit being returned by his partner, he be- 
comes third player to the second round. To 
illustrate: We lead low from a suit consisting, 
we will say, of queen, lo, and two or more small. 
Partner wins with king and returns low. Second 
player (original fourth player to the first round) 
also plays low. Partner winning with king and 
returning low proves clearly the ace to be with 
left opponent. It becom.es obligatory upon us, 
then — hence the name — to play, not the card 
heading the suit in our hand (and the second 
best remaining), queen, but the one next in 
value below it (and the fourth best remaining), 
lo, as if jack (the third best remaining), as well 
as ace (the best) be with left opponent, this 
player holds a tenace over us, and is bound, 
barring a trump from partner, to make two tricks 
in the suit, irrespective of our play. If, how- 
ever, jack be with right opponent, the lo will 
95 



STANDARD WHIST 

force the ace and make good our queen, whereas 
the play of queen would have made good right 
opponent's jack. 

The situations calling for the play of the 
obligatory finesse occur quite frequently, and 
by a player familiar with the principle are recog- 
nizable usually at a glance. Some of our best 
players, among them John H. Briggs, believe so 
strongly in the intrinsic value of this play that 
they carry the principle still further, and argue 
that the queen should generally be held up on 
the return of one's suit, one's original lead being 
from queen and small cards, first trick being won 
by one's partner with king or ace, and the com- 
manding card being marked to one's left, even 
though the card returned by partner has been 
covered by second hand. 

What is known as 

UNBLOCKING, 
a system of play by which we endeavor to rid 
ourselves of the commanding, or at least of what 
high cards we hold of partner's suit, that we 
may not at a later stage interfere with his ex- 
96 



THIRD HAND 

elusive control, he thus being enabled, per- 
haps — other things being in his favor — to bring 
in the remaining one, two, or more cards of the 
suit, as the case may be, is an extremely impor- 
tant and interesting feature of third-hand play. 

It is a noteworthy and interesting fact that the 
unblocking play dates back to the time of Hoyle, 
instances being on record of his having illus- 
trated its theory and practice in a variety of 
positions. For some reason the play fell into 
disuse, and even at the present time, though 
revived and brought into prominence some years 
ago by Cavendish, and though undoubtedly one 
of the great bulwarks of the modern scientific 
game, is unreasonably neglected by a number of 
otherwise very good players. 

Unblocking applies simply to plain suits; the 
trump suit cannot be blocked. As has been 
observed, however, it becomes advisable at 
times to rid ourselves of certain high cards in 
the trump suit, either that we may not interfere 
with partner in his efforts to draw the trumps, or 
that he rather than ourselves may be in the lead 
for the final round. 

97 



STANDARD WHIST 

To successfully unblock, thereby proving our- 
selves a partner worthy of the name, calls for 
whist perception, keenness, and accuracy of the 
most exalted order. To sum it up in a word, 
we must have our wits well about us, must be 
ready in our inferences, quick in our calcula- 
tions, tireless and indefatigable in our resources. 

The lead of ace, queen, jack, lo, or 9 — king 
alone of the high cards being excepted, for the 
reason that it stands for a suit of four cards 
only — imposes upon us, under certain conditions, 
a responsibility of no light nature, and in direct 
proportion to our at)ility successfully to assume 
the same, and to so play our cards as to turn the 
information afforded by the lead to the combined 
advantage, on our part conveying by our play 
information which will be eagerly looked for by 
a good, shrewd, and intelligent partner, will 
depend to no inconsiderable extent our success 
and pleasure in the combined game. 

The lead of any of the above-indicated cards 
proclaims a possible, in the case of queen a'nd 
jack, 2i positive holding of at least five cards. 

When, therefore, we hold exactly four of the 
98 



THIRD HAND 

suit of which partner leads any of the above, it 
is not only possible but probable that he is longer 
in the suit than we are ; // is the shorter suit, be it 
understood, which unblocks to the longer. It is 
incumbent upon us, then, at once to unblock 
(assuming that we make no effort to win the 
trick), and to this end we play, not our lowest 
but our third best card, following it on the sec- 
ond round (assuming again that we make no 
effort to win the trick) with second best, and on 
third round (unless partner's second lead from 
the suit proclaims a holding of four only, or 
unless the fall to the previous rounds points to 
the advisability of a contrary course, in either 
of which cases we may abandon the unblocking 
tactics and play our lowest card) with our best, 
taking, if need be, the trick already partner's. 

We thus keep our lowest card until the last 
round, and so render it possible to put partner 
again in the lead, or, in any event, preclude the 
danger of taking the lead from him in the event 
of his having it. 

To illustrate the case, we will assume partner 
to lead ace and then king from a suit of five or 
99 



STANDARD WHIST 

more, our holding consisting of jack, 8, 6, and 4. 
To the first round we play 6, to the second 8. 
To the third round — whether queen has been 
already played to this round, or whether the suit 
was trumped on the previous round, are ques- 
tions which in no wise affect the situation — we 
play jack, retaining our lowest card, 4, until the 
fourth round, with the specific object in view, as 
above explained, of enabling partner, other con- 
ditions being favorable to this end, to bring in 
the remaining card or cards he holds of the suit. 
Were we at this stage left with the highest rather 
than lowest of our -original holding, the com- 
mand, it is plain to be seen, would be in our 
hand rather than in partner's, and should he hold 
no re-entry, the long cards of his suit would 
inevitably fail to make. 

As has been observed, developments occasion- 
ally make it expedient on the third round of the 
suit to abandon the unblocking play, as when we 
would otherwise incur the risk of leaving the 
command of the suit with opponent, or when to 
do so enables partner definitely to place the 
remaining unplayed card of the suit not in his 



THIRD HAND 

hand. The following illustrates the case: Part- 
ner first leads ace and then queen, the second 
lead proclaiming a holding simply of four. We, 
having played 6 to the first round, with a hold- 
ing, say, of lo, 7, 6, and 2, must follow with 7, 
though partner's second lead conclusively shows 
our strength numerically to be as great as his. 
Our play otherwise, however, would constitute 
a call for trumps. This form we must observe, 
even though second player may have renounced 
to the second round, and thus marked fourth 
player as well with an original holding of four. 
On the third round of the suit, however, we 
should abandon our unblocking play and play 
our lowest rather than our highest card ; other- 
wise we would run the risk of making good the 
9, or a card of the same ostensible value — the 9, 
perhaps, having been played — in the hand of left 
opponent. 

Again: — As in the former case, partner first 
leads ace and then queen. Second player plays 
respectively 9 and king. We, holding, we will 
say, 10, 8, 7, and 5, first play 7 and then 8. 
Fourth player, holding 2, 3, and 4, plays 2 and 



STANDARD WHIST 

then 3. As the fall of the cards, in conjunction 
with our own holding, enables us to read fourth 
player with one other card only of the suit, we 
see it is impossible that any loss should result, as 
might easily have been the case in a case like 
the example above given, from the play of our 
best card to the third round. Partner, however, 
cannot so read, the cards which fourth player 
has played having been too small to furnish him 
with anything specific in this regard. In order, 
then, that he as well be enabled to read the situ- 
ation, we abandon our unblocking play and play 
our lowest rather 4:han our highest card. Our 
play throughout having been out of the ordinary, 
we having first played 7, then 8, and lastly 5, he 
correctly reads that we have been unblocking, 
holding four, and that the only unplayed card 
of the suit, therefore not in his hand is with us. 

It may be argued that a play of this nature is 
confusing, as liable to be construed into a call 
for trumps. 

A call for trumps consists, to be sure, in the 
play of a higher and then of a lower card of 
the same suit — this will be duly considered in the 



THIRD HAND 

chapter on Trumps. The card, however, played 
to the first round of the suit is of lower rank 
always than the one played to the third round. 

Where the play is an abandonment of the 
unblocking tactics, the card played to the first 
round is of greater rank than the one played to 
the third round. 

When it becomes expedient to both signal afid 
unblock^ we reverse the usual order of play of the 
two middle cards, and play to the first round of 
the suit our second best, and to the second 
round our third best. 

When, as is occasionally the case, our four 
cards are headed by two court cards — Court 
Cards are the ace, king, queen, and jack — it 
becomes best generally to abandon the call and 
observe simply the unblocking play. Otherwise 
we would both render ourselves liable to the loss 
of a trick and publish information which might 
easily be turned to our disadvantage. More- 
over, when holding cards of this rank, more 
especially when holding ace and king, or king 
and queen, the chances are good for our obtain- 
ing the lead ourselves at an early stage. The 
103 



STANDARD WHIST 

situation, in any event, being one which will 
doubtless soon proclaim itself, it is needless to 
run any special risk in order to proclaim it be- 
forehand. 

When the best apparent interests of our side 
call for a discard from partner's suit (we having 
begun to unblock in the suit), we discard, not 
our lowest remaining card — this would cancel 
entirely the benefits we set out to attain — but 
the middle card of three, or the better of two, 
unless, being left with two only, developments 
may have shown that partner will need our assist- 
ance in the suit, .when we would discard the 
lower. 

Again: — When returning partner's suit, having 
begun to unblock in the suit, we return not our 
lowest, but our highest card, treating our own 
holding in the suit rather as a short suit. This, 
it will be noted, is an exception to the general 
rule calling for the return of the lowest unless 
holding the command^ or both second and third best^ 
when holding originally four of partner's suit. 

The wisdom of the play, however, is obvious. 
The return of the lowest would not only undo 
104 



THIRD HAND 

all the good we have already done, but would at 
the same time complete a call for trumps. 

As has been already observed, and as the fore- 
going makes fully apparent, the unblocking 
tactics call for the almost unlimited exercise of 
ingenuity, judgment, and skill; of unceasing 
vigilance and constant maneuvering. Having 
once undertaken them, we must have our forces 
well to the front and our subject thoroughly in 
hand, or we will run the risk of misleading part- 
ner and of involving both him and ourselves in 
a labyrinth of mazy and intricate complications. 

When partner's original lead is a small card, 
and subsequent developments show it to be from 
a suit of five or more, we, with an original hold- 
ing of four, must be on the alert to rid ourselves 
of our highest card (assuming that it has not 
been already played in an effort to win the trick) 
on or before the third round, if otherwise it 
would be liable to block. To this end we play 
our middle card to the second round, or the 
better of two to the third. 

The four cards we hold of partner's suit may 
be of such slight value that by no manner of 
105 



STANDARD WHIST 

means could they block the suit, and con- 
versely, their value may be such that no play 
will prevent their blocking. We must be uniform 
throughout, however, and adhere strictly to the 
prescribed form, and, indeed, so far as the lat- 
ter contingency is concerned, two and some- 
times three rounds of the suit must be played 
before the true situation makes itself apparent. 

It may be stated that the unblocking tactics, 
considered simply from an abstract point of 
view, will be found but rarely perhaps to result 
in the desired end, for the reason that the suit is 
not brought in. Jhere is a collateral feature 
connected with the play, however, which must 
on no account be overlooked, the essential bene- 
fits of which are as a matter of fact, much more 
frequently in evidence than those derived from 
the unblocking features. 

It is of the greatest importance, as we cannot 
fail to know, that the original leader of a suit be 
enabled at an early stage to form definite ideas 
concerning the special distribution of his suit. 
This, his partner's observance, or on the other 
hand, his non-observance of the unblocking play 
io6 



THIRD HAND 

assists him materially in doing, the inferences he 
gets negatively being of scarcely less appreciable 
value than those he gets positively. 

Solely for the number-showing features, many 
of our advanced players recommend the observ- 
ance of a form of play similar to the unblocking 
play on the lead of king, third hand holding four 
of the suit. 

Also for the number-showing features, a similar 
form is recommended, though third player hold 
as many as five of the suit led. To proclaim a 
holding of five, it becomes necessary to retain, 
not simply the lowest card of the suit, but the 
two lowest cards until after the first and second 
rounds; that is, as when holding four, we play 
to the first round of the suit our third best, and 
to the second round our second best, partner 
inferring as to the number we hold from the 
absence of certain small cards which, not being 
in his own hand, and not falling from opponents, 
should otherwise have been played by us to the 
first two rounds. 

Two combinations only call for unblocking on 
the first round of partner's suit when holding 
107 



STANDARD WHIST 

three cards — namely, when, holding ace^ king^ and 
one small ^ lo is led; and when, holding king, queen, 
and one small, p is led. In the one case partner 
is marked with queen, jack, at least four in suit; 
in the other case, with ace, jack, lo, four, pos- 
sibly five in suit. The play of king and the re- 
turn of ace in the one case, and the play of queen 
and the return of king in the other, are therefore 
imperative. 

It will be found expedient occasionally to un- 
block*, holding originally three of partner's suit, 
on the second round, as when it develops that 
unless blocked by- us he will eventually hold the 
command. Such cases call for the play to this 
round of the higher of the two remaining cards. 

Holding two cards of partner's suit, four cases 
call for immediate unblocking — when holding ace, 
jack, king or queen is led; when holding ace, queen, 
p is led; when holding ace and one small. Jack is led; 
and when holding king and one small, lo is led. 

If one will but consider the special significance 
of each of the above leads, the inherent wisdom 
of the respective plays in connection therewith 
will at once appeal to him. 
io8 



THIRD HAND 

Except in the cases above specified, it is a 
direct violation of whist principles to play ace on 
any card originally led by partner higher than 
9 (the card led not being covered by second 
hand) unless, that is, the developments of the 
game, or one's hand individually render the 
procedure otherwise justifiable. 

When partner's original lead is lo, we holding 
ace and others, are practically in the same posi- 
tion as when a small card is led and we hold ace, 
queen, etc., when, as has been explained, it is 
right generally to finesse the queen. The same 
principle applies and governs the play in this 
case also. King, the card against which we 
finesse, stands an even chance of being to our 
right. Wherever it be, however, it must be 
played before the suit can become established. 
It is obviously right, therefore, to pass the lo, 
and should it develop that king were with right 
opponent, on no account, if within our power to 
control the matter, should we part with ace until 
this card has been played. 

As has been before remarked — and the inher- 
ent wisdom of the statement is beyond dispute — 
109 



STANDARD WHIST 

if it is inevitable that partner's suit be blocked, 
better, and for every reason, that it be blocked 
by us than an opponent. 

The lead of 9* calls unconditionally for the 
play of ace (ace not being accompanied by queen 
and one or more other cards of the suit). The 
reason is obvious: — Queen, the only high card 
of the suit not definitely accounted for, stands 
an even chance of being with fourth player. 
This being true, upon no consideration should 
we put it in a position to win. If partner, the 
original leader of the suit, upon the return of 
the lead find it expedient to finesse the jack, the 
case is radically different and the responsibility 
is his. It may here be remarked that in the 
trump suit this finesse on his part would nearly 

* The 9, it must be borne in mind, stands for a fourth best lead 
representing one of three important combinations— ace, queen, lo ; 
ace, jack, lo; or king, jack, lo. 

Some card in third player's own hand or in the fall from opponents 
will usually enable him to determine, approximately at least, the 
special combination led from. If he hold ace, or this card fall from 
opponents, the lead is from king, lack, lo. 

If he hold king, or this card fall from opponents, the lead is from 
ace, queen or jack, lo. 

If he hold queen, or this card fall from opponents, the lead is from 
ace, jack, lo, or king, jack, lo. 

If he hold jack, or king, jack, or he can otherwise definitely locate 
these cards, the lead is from ace, queen, lo. 

If he hold king, queen, or he can otherwise definitely locate these 
cards, the lead is from ace, jack, lo. 

no 



THIRD HAND 

always be right, being governed by the principle 
that queen, if with fourth player (second player 
to the first trick), was originally twice guarded 
at least, or it would have been played to the 
first round, and so would inevitably be in com- 
mand on the third round if not forced on the 
second. This finesse would generally be right 
in plain suits, also, if protected by trump 
strength. 

Holding ace, queen, and one small of partner's 
suit, 9 being led, we play small to the first round, 
and ace to the second. 

Holding king and small cards of partner's suit, 
9 being led, we play king, as the 9 would inevi- 
tably fall otherwise to queen or jack, as the case 
may be, if in the hand of fourth player. Hold- 
ing, however, king, jack^ and one or more small, 
or king, queen^ and two or more small, we play 
small, as partner remaining in the one case with 
ace, queen, 10, in the other with ace, jack, 10, 
the card led, the 9, will hold the trick or force a 
trump. 

Holding queen or jack and small cards, 9 
being led, unless desiring to signal, or, holding 



STANDARD WHIST 

four, to unblock, we play our smallest card, tak- 
ing care, however, to rid ourselves of the high 
card before there is danger of its blocking. The 
play of queen or jack, as the case may be, would 
be entirely superfluous, it being in direct 
sequence with the card led, 9, and the cards 
declared by the lead in partner's hand. 

It would seldom if ever be right, being void 
of partner's suit, to trump his original lead of 
an honor, 10, or 9, the same not being covered by 
second hand. Even then, if holding four trumps, 
we should carefully consider if we could not bet- 
ter use them in an efiort for the protection of the 
suit. 

More or less difficulty surrounds at times the 
course ^of third-hand player with regard to the 
proper play on the lead of a thirteener. 

A Thirteener is the last card of a suit remain- 
ing in play. 

If we may assume that the card is led for the 
purpose of forcing us in order, perhaps, that our 
own and partner's trumps may make separately, 
we should put up our highest trump, second hand 
not having trumped with a higher one than we 



THIRD HAND 

hold, and trumps not being exhausted from fourth 
player; if for the purpose of forcing fourth 
player, this player having developed trump 
strength, we should pass the trick, second hand 
having passed. 

A thirteener is occasionally led for the osten- 
sible purpose of placing the lead. Reference to 
this maneuver will be found under the heading 
of Critical Endings. When an object of this 
nature makes itself apparent, we must endeavor 
correctly to judge where the lead would be most 
effective, and govern our play accordingly. If 
with second player, in order that partner be led 
up to on the next round, we should refuse to 
overtrump, assuming this player to have trumped ; 
if with fourth player, in order that we be led up 
to on the next round, we should pass the trick, 
second player having passed. 

Somewhat similar reasoning governs one's play 
on the lead of a twelfth card — Twelfth Card 
being the last card but one of a suit yet in play. 

If the card led be the commanding card and 
second player follows suit or renounces, it will 
hold the trick or force a trump from fourth 
"3 



STANDARD WHIST 

hand ; unless wishing the lead, therefore, it would 
be right generally to pass the trick ; especially 
would this be right in cases where fourth player 
has developed trump strength. If the card led 
be the losing card and second player plays the 
command, we should put up generally our high- 
est trump, unless having reason to believe that 
a smaller one will be just as effective; if the card 
led be the losing card and fourth player holds 
the command, our lowest, unless overtrumping 
second hand. 

A brief reference before concluding to the 
Finesse by the Rule of Eleven. 

The opportunities for making this finesse are 
not only of infrequent occurrence, but it is rarely 
advisable when they do occur that the finesse be 
made. When, however, we thereby incur no 
special risk and yet publish important inferences, 
it is right generally to make it. 

The following furnishes a typical example. 
Partner opens up his suit with the 7, thus mark- 
ing four cards higher against him. We, holding 
queen, jack, 10, and one or more smaller cards 
of the suit, at once recognize that our own hand 
114 



THIRD HAND 

contains all but one of these four higher cards; 
furthermore, that the missing higher card must 
of necessity be either ace or king, as if both ace 
and king were in the hand of partner, one of 
these cards rather than fourth best would have 
been originally led. Our ostensible play, there- 
fore, is to pass the 7, as, whether it hold the 
trick, or fall to king or ace in the hand of fourth 
player, partner must gain valuable inferences 
concerning the special distribution of his suit. 

This cannot be otherwise, as fourth player by 
his failure to win the trick in the one case, or 
by winning with as high a card as king or ace in 
the other, shows first, his inability to win at all; 
secondly, his inability to win with a smaller card. 
Second player, by his failure to cover the card 
led, denies the unbroken sequence, queen, jack, 
10. We, if holding simpl)^ one, or even two of 
these cards, would not have finessed the card 
led; our doing so, in fact, would have been ex- 
tremely injudicious, utterly at variance with con- 
scientious and correct third-hand play. Partner 
cannot but assume, then, that the complete 
sequence, queen, jack, 10, is held by us, and 
IIS 



STANDARD WHIST 

that, though the suit has been but once led, it is 
fully established in our two hands. The cases 
would be exceptional where this information 
could not be turned to the combined good. 

The general principles which govern the play 
of third hand, are thus briefly summarized by 
Proctor: 

*' First, and chiefly, to help and strengthen 
one's partner as much as possible in his own suit; 
secondly, to derive all possible advantage from 
any strengthening card one's partner may play 
in one's suit; thirdly, to retain as long as pos- 
sible such partial command as one may have in 
an opponent's suit." 



ii6 



CHAPTER VII 

FOURTH HAND 

We maintain and believe and can easily prove that 
the proper study of whist affords higher and more satis- 
factory discipline than is obtained by the great majority 
of studies embraced in the curriculum of a university. — 
Cassius M. Paine. 

•' Whist is essentially the game of scholars, wits, and 
philosophers." 

While to the player fourth in hand the oppor- 
tunities for the display of individual skill are 
comparatively few, the rule to take the trick if 
possible (if against him), and as cheaply as pos- 
sible, holding good in the great majority of 
cases, his position nevertheless is by no means 
that of a sinecure, and a correct comprehension 
of the situations wherein a contrary course be- 
comes advisable calls for a thorough understand- 
ing of the conditions of the game and for whist 
perception and ability of no mean order. 
117 



STANDARD WHIST 

Developments may be of such a nature, or 
fourth player's hand may be so constructed, as 
to devolve upon him a responsibility the impor- 
tance of which can be properly estimated only by 
one who possesses a thoroughly keen apprecia- 
tion of the infinite vagaries of the complex game, 
when his play becomes the pivot upon the turn- 
ing of which the success or failure of the partner- 
ship game depends. 

Bearing in mind that we should under no cir- 
cumstances refuse to win a trick, unless we see 
our way clear to making at least one additional 
one by so doing, it behooves us, in the vast 
number of cases, to win the trick if within our 
power to do so (it not having been already won 
by partner), and at as small an expenditure and 
outlay of strength as possible. 

Cases may and do arise, however, where it be- 
comes advisable to pass the trick, where such 
policy is absolutely essential to the successful 
finish of the game; where, in a word, the addi- 
tional one, two, or more tricks, as the case may 
be, could be scored in no other way. It becomes 
necessary at times, too, though such cases are 
ii8 



FOURTH HAND 

undoubtedly rare, to pass not simply the one, 
but two, and even a greater number of tricks in 
succession. 

The player, whatever be his position at table, 
who feels he must take the immediate trick under 
all conditions and regardless of developments, 
will find much to learn before he can hope or 
expect to arrive at any degree of rank or prom- 
inence in the world of whist. 

Taking the Trick Already Partner's, Placing 
the Lead, The Grand Coup, etc., maneuvers one 
and all calling for the highest order of skill and 
delicate whist perception, are applicable at times 
to the play of fourth hand. These plays, which 
are equally applicable under similar conditions 
to the play of second and third hand, will be 
duly considered under the heading of Critical 
Endings, Coups, etc. 



119 



CHAPTER VIII 

RETURN LEAD 

Play as if your partner's hand belongs to you, and 
your own belongs to your partner. — Fisher Ames. 

To be able to read your partner's hand and play to 
make his cards is whist of the highest order. — C. D. P. 
Hamilton. 

We come now to another very interesting and 
exceedingly useful ^ convention — the Return 
Lead. 

While this play admits of less variation and 
calls perhaps for less individual skill than most 
other plays, its correct observance requires, 
nevertheless, particularly under some conditions, 
quick adaptability, and demands that one be 
thoroughly familiar with recognized form, rules, 
etc. 

The proper return lead is, in fact, a matter of 
high import, it being essential to the best inter- 
ests of the two hands that the original leader of 

I20 



RETURN LEAD 

a suit have it within his power as early as pos- 
sible definitely to locate certain valuable cards, 
as well as to infer the number of the suit held 
by his partner, and the assistance he may or may 
not expect from him in his efforts at its establish- 
ment. 

The conventional rules, subject to the modifi- 
cations noted below, should in the majority of 
cases be strictly adhered to. They may be 
stated as follows: 

If remaining with two only at the time the lead is 
returned^ return the better of the two; if remaining 
with three or more^ return the lowest^ save only when 
holding the comtnand, or both second and third best. 

Irrespective of number^ return the commandj so, 
also, irrespective of number, return second best when 
holding both second and third best. 

The importance in such cases of proclaiming 
in regard to number subordinates itself to the 
importance of at once ridding ourselves of the 
command, or of such a card as will work to 
the earlier establishment of the suit in partner's 
hand, and at the same time do away with the 
danger of blocking. 



STANDARD WHIST 

To be sure, if we can detect that we are longer 
in the suit than partner, we play to establish the 
suit in our hand, and so make it a point to insure 
the command finally being with us rather than 
with him. 

The return of the higher of two cards not only 
shows numerical weakness in the suit, but admits 
often of partner's making a successful finesse. 

The return of the lowest of three points to the 
inexpediency of a finesse, as a suit in which both 
of us are long runs the risk of being early 
trumped. 

Now for the exceptions above referred to. 
These plays, however, embody such obvious 
and well-known principles that, as Cavendish 
observes, "the word 'exception' hardly applies," 
and it were better perhaps to classify them 
as authenticated and well-established rules of 
play. 

If, to partner's original lead of a high card, 
we, holding four of the suit, have begun to un- 
block, we return the highest rather than the 
lowest of the three remaining cards; otherwise, 
as has been explained in that portion of Third 



RETURN LEAD 

Hand devoted to Unblocking, we would do 
away with the benefits we originally set out to 
attain, and at the same time complete a call for 
trumps. 

So, if to partner's original lead of a low 
trump, we, holding four or more trumps headed 
by cards in sequence, make an effort to win the 
trick and also to develop an echo (by the play of 
the higher rather than the lower of the cards in 
sequence) we complete the echo, if winning the 
trick, or so soon as we obtain a lead, by the 
return of the lower of the cards in sequence 
rather than lowest of the suit. The importance 
of this play will be dwelt upon more fully in the 
chapter on Trumps. 

All the above, it will be understood, applies 
simply to the return of partner's lead, and in 
its full integrity, to his first or original lead. 
Considerably more latitude is allowed when re- 
turning the lead of an adversary, we being 
governed in such cases by developments from 
the previous round and by the importance as 
long as safe of retaining the command. 

The question often arises, and naturally; 
123 



STANDARD WHIST 

"Shall we at once return partner's suit, or is it 
better to declare our own?" 

Cavendish advises our own if strong in trumps; 
partner's if weak. 

The consensus of opinion, however, regardless 
of the above-named conditions, is in favor of the 
return of partner's; unless, to be sure, our own 
suit is ostensibly stronger, or unless we have 
strength in trumps when we should, mostly, 
proceed first to disarm the adversaries of 
trumps. 

Milton C. Work pronounces the wonderful 
desire on the part 6i many players to change the 
suit to be one of the greatest failings of the 
average whister. He adds: "Our advice is 
when you have the lead, having won a trick third 
in hand, be absolutely sure it is the wisest play 
to shift the suit before you decide to do so, and 
if there is any doubt in your mind on the subject, 
give the benefit of the doubt to the suit that has 
just been led. Remember every time you open 
a new suit you place yourself at a disadvantage, 
unless it is headed by a three-card sequence of 
which the queen is a component part. Remem- 
124 



RETURN LEAD 

ber that to attempt to establish two suits is the 
height of folly and that, as your partner has 
already started to establish his, you will, as a 
rule, do better to aid him in that effort rather 
than start off on a new tack with your own suit, 
which is one trick farther from establishment 
than your partner's. If you do not return your 
partner's suit, you virtually say to him, 'Partner, 
in spite of the disadvantage of opening up a new 
suit, and in spite of the fact that yours has 
already once been led, mine can be more easily 
established than yours, and therefore I assume 
the responsibility of shifting. ' The old doctrine 
of showing your partner your suit before return- 
ing his is one of the absurdities of the past that 
is dead. That the same authors should tell us to 
play two hands as one, and yet play them in 
this way at cross purposes, seems, indeed, strange 
in the light of modern experience." 

The objection which is sometimes raised to 
such a course, that partner is thereby left in 
ignorance of our own suit and is liable, therefore, 
to be in doubt when forced to change his lead 
as to the proper alternative, has but little force, 

125 



STANDARD WHIST 

the suits either directly or indirectly known to 
be opponent's, discards, and the various infer- 
ences therefrom, etc., directing one infallibly, 
usually, as to the proper conclusion. It is a 
well attested and established fact, and one which 
adds still another and certainly forcible argu- 
ment in favor of the return of partner's suit, that 
a strengthening card led by partner to our in- 
ferred suit tends often much more effectually to 
the clearing and early establishment of the suit 
in our hand than if the suit were originally led 
by ourselves. 

Whatever policy one adopt, however, the com- 
mand of partner's suit should in most cases be 
returned without delay. There are in truth no 
whist principles of greater value intrinsically 
than those embodied in the rules to rid ourselves 
at once of the command of partner's, to retain 
as long as safe that of adversary's suit. 

The old objection to the return of partner's 
lead when we have won the trick with as low a 
card as the queen, holding nothing higher, for 
the reason that the balance of strength is with 
the player to his left, to a considerable extent 
126 



RETURN LEAD 

loses its force if one may assume that his partner 
is familiar with the principle and play of the 
Obligatory Finesse. The same has been con- 
sidered under Third Hand. 



127 



CHAPTER IX 

TRUMPS 

The player who at the critical juncture of the game 
correctly manages his trumps, masters the situation; 
when the reverse is the case, the situation masters him. 

" Trumps are the ordnance — the heavy guns — in the 
engagement, and after you have silenced the enemy 
with them you may gather in the fruits of victory with 
your established suits." 

The considerations which enter into and affect 
the play of trumps are radically different from 
those which affect plain suits, and are so mani- 
fold, varied, and complex, that not only the tyro 
but the player of acknowledged skill not infre- 
quently finds himself in doubt — uncertain quite 
what tactics and line of action to pursue. 

Who has not upon more than one occasion 

tried vainly to settle whether his trumps and his 

hand generally justified an immediate trump 

lead; whether, in short, his policy throughout 

128 



TRUMPS 

should be aggressive or the reverse; at what 
stage of ^the game a trump should be led — as 
Hamilton asserts: "A trick too soon or a round 
too late may utterly ruin a great game" ; whether 
it were right to force partner; whether a cross 
ruff could be established; whether he were 
forcing the strong adversary or the reverse, and 
so on through countless queries of a somewhat 
similar and more or less speculative nature. 

All players of experience, all writers and 
authorities, agree as to the difficulties experi- 
enced in the management of trumps. Cavendish 
pronounces it "the most difficult of the problems 
presented to the whist player." Hamilton 
affirms, "There is no test of skill so absolute as 
the aptitude displayed by a player in handling 
his trumps." Coffin refers to them as the 
"artillery of the hand the proper maneuvering 
with which ordnance requires the greatest skill 
and generalship on the part of the player." 

To make the most of any deal it is absolutely 
essential that one be fully impressed with the 
intrinsic value of the trump suit; with its trick- 
making powers as compared with the plain suits; 
129 



STANDARD WHIST 

more than all perhaps with the significant fact 
that one's best laid schemes are often thwarted, 
not alone because of the superior trump strength 
held by an adversary, but because of the adroit 
manner in which he uses and skillfully adjusts to 
the needs of the situation these wonderfully 
subtle and at all times powerful agencies. 

So much has been written and said upon the 
proper handling and management of trumps, and 
after all so much depends upon the develop- 
ments of the game and upon the ingenuity and 
judgment of the player based upon these devel- 
opments, that it is -useless to attempt anything 
further in these pages than a brief recapitula- 
tion of the more important of the general truths, 
maxims, principles, and conventions by which 
their play is to a certain extent at least regulated 
and governed. 

The distinctive purposes to which trumps are 
applied may be briefly summed up as follows: 
First, Purposes of Protection; secondly, Ruff- 
ing Purposes; thirdly. In Order to Stop an 
Actual or Impending Cross Ruff; fourthly, 
To the Purposes of an Original Lead— they 
130 



TRUMPS 

being entitled perhaps to precedence in this 
respect over the plain suits, as constituting the 
longest, if not the only long suit which the hand 
contains. 

There can be little doubt of the peculiar dig- 
nity which attaches to the first use — the lead for 
the purpose of protection. While the lead from 
four or more trumps with this specific object in 
view is frequently resorted to, a lead from three, 
two, and even one trump with the same object 
in view, is at times justifiable; from three, when 
holding great strength in one^ and protection in 
both of the two remaining suits ; from two, when 
holding great^ and from one (seldom, if ever, as 
di first lead except it be the ace of trumps) when 
holding overwhelming strength in all the plain 
suits. The weaker the trump suit in cases of 
this description, the stronger, imperatively so, 
the plain suits must be. Leads of this nature, 
when employed by players who thoroughly 
understand what they are about, become fre- 
quently as forceful, sharp-edged weapons to the 
peculiar incisiveness of which discomfited oppo- 
nents can fully attest. 

131 



STANDARD WHIST 

When our own or partner's suit becomes 
established, and occasionally when it reaches 
that point where another round will establish it, 
it behooves us carefully to review the situation 
to see if we have strength sufficient to warrant 
us in an attempt at protection. The attempt 
undoubtedly should be made, no trump strength 
having been declared by opponents, if we hold 
as many as four trumps with possibly one card 
of re-entry at least of another suit. 

(Card of Re-Entry is such a card as insures 
our again obtaining a lead.) 

With fewer trumps than four, the attempt at 
protection, the suit being established, is often- 
times justifiable, particularly if we also hold con- 
siderable strength in one^ or moderate strength 
in both of the two remaining suits. 

We must ever bear in mind, however, as forci- 
bly set forth by Hamilton, that *'// makes a vast 
difference who is in the lead when the last trump is 
played,'' This becomes of special importance 
when the lead is for the purpose of bringing in 
an established suit, and more than ever so if we 
are void of re-entry in the other suits. To the 
132 



TRUMPS 

accomplishment of this end we should not hesi- 
tate, the situation apparently demanding it, to 
finesse, and to finesse freely upon the return of 
the lead, holding up at times the commanding 
trump for one, two, and even a greater number 
of rounds. This policy becomes advisable occa- 
sionally though the trump lead originally came 
from opponents. 

It is comparatively easy to establish a suit, 
but to bring it in is a much more serious under- 
taking, and a lead of trumps with this specific 
object in view, unwarranted by strength, results 
usually in the bringing in of the suit of an oppo- 
nent. It behooves us, therefore, to weigh the 
conditions carefully and well before launching 
upon an attempt which, if unsuccessful, means 
not only signal defeat for our side, but assured 
victory for the opposing side. 

THE RUFFING SYSTEM 

is usually quite effective, particularly when what 
is known as a Cross Ruff can be established. 



133 



STANDARD WHIST 

A CROSS RUFF, 

than which, as John T. Mitchell asserts (John 
T. Mitchell is the leader of the duplicate whist 
movement in America), "there is nothing more 
deadly," consists in the alternate trumping of 
partners ; it is a form of play, that is, by which 
each of the two players trumps in turn a losing 
card of a suit which the other leads for that 
ostensible purpose. 

When and when not to force partner is often- 
times a vexed question, and one which many of 
our best players have yet to interpret to their 
entire satisfaction. We are told to abstain from 
forcing partner if weak in trumps ourselves, and 
though this rule, like all others, is liable to 
important qualifications, Drayson, more than 
any other writer, perhaps, claiming that it should 
not be too stringently adhered to, it is neverthe- 
less a pretty safe one to follow under ordinary 
conditions at ^least. Reasoning inversely from 
the above, it follows that when a good partner 
deliberately forces us we should take the force 
without hesitancy, secure in the belief that his 
134 



TRUMPS 

own hand fully justifies him in the course he is 
pursuing. 

Contrariwise, when he refrains from forcing 
us, having had the opportunity, we read him 
with but little strength, and need not hesitate, 
therefore, as a rule, to force him should the 
opportunity to do so offer. 

The theory has been advocated, those advo- 
cating it claiming that such a policy could leave 
a player in no doubt as to the true status of his 
partner's trump holding, that if weak in trumps, 
we should refrain when the opportunity first 
offers from forcing partner, but should unhesitat- 
ingly avail ourselves, if otherwise expedient, 
should a second one offer, partner, it being 
understood, being at liberty to accept or refuse 
the force as may seem for the best interests of 
his hand. 

To be sure, when partner has signified his 
willingness to be forced, either by trumping a 
doubtful (or even a sure trick, not following it 
up with a trump lead) when he has refrained 
from forcing us though having had the oppor- 
tunity, or when it is likely that we can thereby 
135 



STANDARD WHIST 

establish a cross ruff, the rule which proscribes 
forcing unless warranted by our own strength 
becomes null and void, and it is right generally 
to improve every chance which offers for the 
making of partner's trumps separately and apart 
from ours. 

So, also, when trumps have been declared 
adversely, either by the lead of a trump or other- 
wise, it will be found well usually to resort to 
forcing, or to whatever other expedient offers 
for the best apparent interests of the two hands. 
Even under these conditions, however, unless 
the partner of the strong adversary shows also 
the possession of trump strength, or unless it is 
evident that they hold an established suit, with 
perhaps sufficient trump strength to bring it in — 
in either of which cases we would see at once 
that we could offer but little if any defense — we 
cannot always tell but that partner, too, may 
have strength, and it may be sufficient, if kept 
intact, to outlive the adversary. It is usually 
best, however, at such times to give him the 
option at least of trumping. He will fully un- 
derstand the play, and will accept or refuse the 
136 



TRUMPS 

force as may seem best to him, he having it in 
his power, moreover, by whichever course he 
adopts, to put us in possession of inferences which 
will prove an invaluable guide in determining 
our subsequent policy. 

The rule in regard to forcing applies like all 
rules in its full significance to the earlier or but 
partially developed stages of a game, considera- 
tions being liable to arise which render it imper- 
ative to disregard it entirely at a more advanced 
stage. 

In view of the incalculable harm which can be 
done to a strong trump hand by repeatedly for- 
cing it to trump, the policy of forcing the strong 
trump hand of the adversary whenever possible 
makes itself distinctly manifest. Should the 
player so forced refuse the force, it should be 
attempted again and again. Many a good trump 
hand and the prospects of a strong game have 
been so injured by repeated forcing, that the 
holder thereof has been compelled to abandon 
his tactics and resort to and pursue a line of play 
altogether at variance with that he originally 
intended. 

137 



STANDARD WHIST 

The course to pursue with regard to trumping, 
second in hand, and the impolicy of trumping, 
third in hand, an honor, or, in fact, any card 
higher than eight which partner leads as an 
original lead, unless covered by second hand, 
have been already considered under their respec- 
tive headings. Second and Third Hand Play. 

Having occasion to trump when holding four 
trumps, it is best usually to trump with third 
best, except when it is a relatively high card, as 
in the case of lo from king, queen, lo, 3, and 
follow it up when next playing from the suit (not 
making an effort to win the trick) with fourth 
best — the latter play subject to contingencies 
which may arise in the event of the trump lead 
coming from opponents, and they either holding 
the trick, or it being evident that they will do 
so, when, in an effort to deceive as to number, 
fourth best as a general thing should be held 
until a later round, and second best played. 

Having occasion to trump when holding five 

or more trumps, it is best as a rule to trump with 

fifth best, and follow it up, if the conditions 

then justify the lead of a trump, and of a low 

138 



TRUMPS 

trump, by the lead of fourth best. If the suit 
consist of more than five, partner will usually so 
infer from the absence of certain small cards, 
which, not being in his own hand, would other- 
wise doubtless have fallen from opponents. 

If, after, as above explained, trumping with 
original fifth best, our holding justifies the lead 
of a high trump, such a card should be led as 
will proclaim the value and numerical strength 
of the suit, not as it originally was, but as it 
now is; in other words, we should ignore in our 
calculations the card or cards, as the case may 
be, which were used for trumping before the 
development of the lead. 

Under no circumstances, if within our power 
to control the matter, except the game be so 
desperate that we must place the lead at all haz- 
ards, should we lead a suit of which both oppo- 
nents are known to be void (the adverse trumps 
not being exhausted), as the weaker adversary 
will trump, while the stronger one by a judicious 
discard perhaps may further strengthen his hand. 

The importance of leading trumps, regardless 
of high-card or numerical strength, in order to 
139 



STANDARD WHIST 

stop a cross ruff, actual or impending, is univer- 
sally recognized. At such a juncture the earlier, 
perhaps, to obtain a lead, it is well frequently to 
resort to exceptional measures, and if holding 
high or commanding trumps to freely lead them, 
all other considerations becoming secondary, 
for the time being, to the importance of insuring 
as many rounds as we have it in our power to 
control, or as the extremity of the situation 
apparently may demand before there is danger 
of the lead going from us. Partner, for the 
same reason, if making an effort to win the trick 
(our lead being a low card and second player not 
having covered with a higher card than he holds) 
should invariably play his highest card (the cards 
heading the suit in his hand not being in 
sequence), not venturing the usual finesse even 
of queen from ace, queen, etc. 

As we have thoroughly discussed the policy of 
our first or original lead being from our longest 
suit — when practicable, from one containing high 
card strength as well — it follows that when our 
longest suit is the trump suit (we being the initial 
leader, be it understood), we should lead from 
140 



TRUMPS 

it rather than resort to the doubtful policy of 
leading from a short suit. Even where our only 
four-card suit is the trump suit, the three plain 
suits consisting of three cards each, there is no 
reason, as a general thing, why the rule should 
be departed from. 

A wide diversity of opinion exists on this point, 
many very strong players advocating rather the 
lead of one of the short suits, particularly if so 
constructed that it can be led from the top 
downwards. 

Cavendish disposes of the question summarily 
and succinctly by pronouncing the trump lead 
*'the lesser of the two evils." 

George L. Bunn, the famous expert and emi- 
nent whist analyst, expresses himself as fol- 
lows: *'We have no sympathy for those players 
who refuse to lead a trump because 'I hold noth- 
ing to exhaust trumps for.* That is not the 
point; but even if it were, the argument is 
founded on a wrong premise; the game of whist 
is a partnership affair, and the player who plays 
his own hand alone has acquired an erroneous 
idea that will be fatal to his success as a player. 
141 



STANDARD WHIST 

But the best reason for the trump lead is that it 
is the only play that is not a shot on the dark; 
the only play that is based upon anything but 
pure luck. . . . It is not that it is a good 
lead in itself, except where the plain suits are 
strong, but that a lead from a short suit is worse ; 
it is a choice between evils, the lesser of which 
we believe to be the trump lead." 

This, in fact, correctly expresses it. Our guid- 
ing motive in such and similar cases should be, 
not so much to make a large score ourselves, as 
to prevent the adversaries from making a large 
score. Hands susceptible of brilliant treatment 
are the exception rather than the rule. If we 
but keep before us at all times and under all 
conditions the importance of doing, not simply 
that which promises the most brilliant, but that 
which offers the least doubtful results, our game 
will be a safe one, and one on which partner can 
implicitly rely, he having little to fear either 
from our adoption of erratic methods, or from 
our making unwarranted flights into the airy 
realm of the improbable. By the adoption, 
moreover, of such a course we shall soon acquire 
142 



TRUMPS 

(and deservedly so) the reputation of being a 
thoroughly straightforward, earnest, reliable, 
and intelligent player. 

It may be stated that when it can be detected, 
the lead of trumps is from four (or even five in 
suit), and resorted to solely because it is the 
only long suit which the hand contains — and to 
a discriminating partner such a situation will 
usually very soon make itself apparent — all 
obligations in regard to an immediate return 
become null and void unless one can see it is 
best for his own hand that trumps be at once 
exhausted. That is to say, when our initial lead 
of a low trump points to a holding of four, or 
at the most five, partner, when in the lead, can 
use his judgment with regard to going on with 
the suit, opening his own suit, or working for 
whatever end promises better returns than would 
be apt to follow upon the immediate outdrawal 
of trumps. 

Other situations as well are liable to arise 

where the immediate return of the trump would 

be injudicious, but under usual conditions, and 

in the vast majority of cases, the rule demand- 

143 



STANDARD WHIST 

ing an immediate return is absolute and un- 
conditional, and as such should be re- 
garded. By beginners it should be religiously 
observed. 

To be sure, if one hold an established suit, not 
of such length that there is danger of finding 
either opponent void, or of one round exhaust- 
ing the only card of the suit held by his partner — 
a contingency which it would be particularly 
desirable to avoid in the event of his holding no 
re-entry in either of the other suits — he will 
sometimes find it to his advantage to declare 
first his own suit. 

The lead of a trump, the trump suit consisting 
of less than five, is rarely wise if the hand con- 
tain a long, unestablished plain suit. Save only 
perhaps when we also hold considerable protec- 
tion in one^ or moderate protection in both of the 
two remaining suits, it will generally prove best, 
the trump suit consisting of four (or less) to 
work first for the establishment of the suit. It 
is occasionally advisable, too, to work first for 
the plain suit, though we hold five trumps, our 
policy in such cases being determined in fact 
144 



TRUMPS 

rather by the strength of the plain suit than by 
the strength of the trump suit. 

As will be seen, the old rule to lead trumps 
from five, regardless of the accompanying con- 
ditions, is no longer an arbitrary and absolute 
rule of the game. In fact, as Hamilton shrewdly 
affirms, "Always and never are not safe words 
to use in formulating whist rules, and when used 
they should be construed into meaning nearly 
always and hardly ever." The rule, however, 
as are most rules in truth, is a safe one for 
beginners; for all players, in fact, until, in the 
words of Drayson, ''they have advanced beyond 
the condition of moderate players." The intui- 
tion and fine whist perception which are essential 
attributes of the player who departs successfully 
from any rule are the result usually only of con- 
tinued practice and thoughtful and systematic 
study. 

With a holding of as many as six trumps, 
there can be but little doubt generally as to the 
expediency of the immediate trump lead. 

Whenever one adversary renounces to the 
trump suit unless it be extremely desirable that 
145 



STANDARD WHIST 

the remaining adversary be at once disarmed, 
it is best usually to discontinue the lead, and 
devote our efforts rather to making our own and 
partner's trumps separately. 

Sometimes, though, when it is right hand 
adversary who is void, a continuance of the 
lead through left hand is advisable for the rea- 
son that it may either force him to put up his 
best, or enable partner to win the trick with a 
comparatively low card. 

The importance as long as expedient of retain- 
ing the command af the trump suit, and to this 
end of playing a backward game, unless possessed 
of a certain specified holding, has been fully 
referred to under the heading of Trump Leads. 
It remains but to add that the same policy should 
be observed generally also in the case of a plain 
suit, not previously opened, if holding a sure 
re-entry, in cases where there are no trumps 
remaining adversely. 

THE TRUMP SIGNAL, 

the invention of Lord Henry Bentinck, is a com- 
mand to partner to lead trumps. 
146 



TRUMPS 

The command is arbitrary, and the partner of 
the player giving the signal is warranted often 
in running unusual risks, thereby the earlier per- 
haps to obtain a lead and give compliance. 

The trump signal is made by the play of a 
higher card to the first round of a suit than to 
the second, when there can be no possible 
motive, and partner cannot but so read, for the 
play of the higher card, other than the desire to 
signal. 

As explained under Second Hand, the best 
interests of second-hand play often demand that 
the card led be covered ; hence the play by sec- 
ond hand of a higher card to the first round of 
a suit than to the second by no means of itself 
constitutes a trump signal. The card so played 
must be unnecessarily high, and partner must so 
construe it, or serious damage to the two hands 
may easily be the result. In the words of Milton 
C. Work, "There is no play more fatal than a 
trump lead made because a player thinks his 
partner has started a signal when in reality he 
has not." 

As a matter of fact, there has been much 
147 



STANDARD WHIST 

opposition of late to the trump signal (in Its 
ordinary acceptation, that is), a number of ad- 
vanced players who, however, in various ways 
can determine when a trump should be led, 
claiming that it is of minor importance, and apt 
seriously to interfere with many of the finer 
points of play. 

There can be little doubt, however, of the 
efficacy of the signal, particularly so far as the 
more moderate player is concerned, he of neces- 
sity lacking the perception possessed by the 
player of larger and more varied experience, and 
dependent, therefore, to no inconsiderable 
extent upon ulterior aids for his guidance and 
direction. 

In the words of Fisher Ames, however, the 
signal **must be used with discretion." It 
should in fact never be attempted without due 
thought and consideration. It should be borne 
in mind that we may often lead a trump from 
considerably less strength than warrants us under 
ordinary conditions in giving the signal. The 
signal issues to partner a command absolute to 
abandon his own tactics and make his game in 
148 



TRUMPS 

every way subservient to ours. This, as can 
be seen, involves upon us a responsibility of no 
light nature; hence it behooves us to be reason- 
ably well assured, at least, that a trump lead will 
be for the best combined interests. 

The strength conceded necessary to give the 
signal is a holding of six^ with or without an honor ^ 
or of five with at least one honor ^ there existing a 
reasonable chance of our side developing a good plain 
suit; or a holding of four with at least two hon- 
ors^ or of five even without an honor ^ if our suit be 
already established. These are the more conserva- 
tive rulings, and those specially approved by 
Miss Wheelock. 

Others again set down the strength required 
as five^ one of them an honor ^ or four, two of them 
honors, the chances, as above stipulated, being favor- 
able to the development of a suit. 

These holdings, be it understood, refer to the 
strength on the original ask, or early in a hand. 
A signal given at a later stage, after we have 
had a lead and refrained from leading a trump, 
or after we have had the chance to give the sig- 
nal and have not given it, implies probably the 
149 



STANDARD WHIST 

possession of moderate strength and the belief 
that owing to developments, perhaps to the fact 
of our own or partner's suit having become 
established, or nearly so, or to the expediency of 
protecting high or commanding cards, a trump 
lead would in our opinion work to the best inter- 
ests of the two hands 

The policy of giving the signal when a strong 
suit has been shown adversely is extremely 
doubtful. To say nothing of the stray tricks 
which each adversary would endeavor to gain by 
ruffing, they would both be on the alert to detect 
the suit in which we are weak, and when detected 
would subject us whenever possible to repeated 
forcing, thereby rapidly reducing our original 
strength. 

The signal may be begun in each plain suit 
until completed in one. When once completed, 
it should not be again given. 

The signal is made usually with the two lowest 
cards of a suit. If, however, it becomes expedi- 
ent to signal in a suit in which it is expedient also to 
unblock — this has been considered under Third 
Hand — we play to the first round of the suit our 
150 * 



TRUMPS 

second best card, and to the second round, our 
third best, retaining the lower card or cards of 
the suit until a subsequent round. 

If expedient to signal in the discard^ we follow 
again the recognized form of the play of an un- 
necessarily high card, followed either when the 
suit is led, or when again discarding from it, by 
a smaller one. 

The discard of a high card — some claim as high 
as an 8 — of an unopened suit early in a hand, 
or on or before the fourth trick, gives indication 
usually of a strong suit; in fact, constitutes virtu- 
ally a trump signal. This is known as the 
Single Discard Call. 

A somewhat similar significance attaches in 
the early stages of a game to the play of an honor ^ 
or even of a g or lOy on a higher card already 
played to the trick. 

The special play in each of these cases is 
either intended as the beginning of a signal, or 
the player so playing is of necessity void, or 
nearly so, of the suit led. His hand contains — 
that is, if the play be not intended as the begin- 
ning of a signal — presumably but three suits (in 
151 



STANDARD WHIST 

the case of the discard this is unequivocally so) 
and yet nearly the usual complement of cards. 
Each of these suits must of necessity have fair 
numerical strength, or one, possibly two of them, 
the chances being not unlikely that one is the 
trump suit, have exceptional numerical strength. 

These being the conditions, the cases would 
be of infrequent occurrence where the lead of 
a trump, more particularly of a strengthening 
trump, would not redound to one's advantage; 
therefore it behooves the partner of the player 
so playing, if in the lead, or when obtaining it, 
to carefully consider the advisability of a trump 
lead. 

The failure to trump a sure adverse trick is also 
under ordinary conditions a call for trumps. 

The failure to trump a doubtful trick is not 
necessarily a call for trumps, but implies usually 
four, possibly five trumps, or three good ones 
which it is thought best to preserve intact. As 
there is no play more ill-advised perhaps than 
the attempt to force a partner who shows an 
unwillingness to be forced (our own hand not 
justifying the play), it is generally best under 
152 



TRUMPS 

such circumstances to lead the suit in which 
partner is evidently strong, especially if holding 
such a card of the suit as, if led, will presumably 
assist in its establishment. To be sure if we 
hold an established or nearly established suit of 
our own, we may preferably lead our own suit. 
Even then, however, it is best as a rule to lead 
to his suit before finally giving up the control 
of our own. 

THE FALSE CARD LEAD, OR CALLING THROUGH 

THE HONOR, 
an invention of Drayson, is a form of play 
(otherwise a signal) which develops by the mak- 
ing on the part of the leader of an irregular or 
false lead, hence the name; either from a short 
suit, when the card led will proclaim the fact of 
its being irregular, or, as is perhaps the better 
method, by such a lead from his long plain suit, 
if he hold one, as, while it also proclaims an 
irregular lead, at the same time works to the 
establishment of the suit. 

This signal is given when, by reason of the 
bearing of the card turned upon the leader's own 
153 



STANDARD WHIST 

holding, it becomes apparent that the lead will 
work more advantageously if made by his part- 
ner through the honor than by himself. It fol- 
lows that when the partner of the leader can 
detect under such circumstances the irregularity 
of a lead — and Drayson tells us that never should 
third hand more closely watch his partner's origi- 
nal lead than when an honor is turned to his 
right — he should not venture any finesse, but 
should take the immediate trick, if within his 
power, in order at once to comply with the 
demand. 

As the full efficacy of this signal consists in 
the continuance of the lead by one's partner (or 
original third hand) until the honor turned is 
played, or it becomes evident that it must fall 
to the next round, it need scarcely be stated 
that the original leader, if winning the trick, 
should on no account go on with the trumps 
himself, but on the contrary, should make every 
effort to get the lead again to his partner. 

The mere circumstance of a player having 
strength in trumps, an honor being turned to his 
right, by no means establishes the fact of its 
154 



TRUMPS 

being better to give the signal than to lead the 
trump himself. The play is justifiable in reality 
only when one holds a finessing combination 
over the honor turned, as ace, jack, lo, etc., or 
ace, queen, lo, etc., over king turned; or king, 
jack, lo, or 9, over queen turned. Many play- 
ers, especially those of moderate caliber, carry 
this play to excess, and refuse absolutely to 
lead the trump themselves, an honor being 
turned to their right, no matter how little 
adapted their suit may be to the chances of a 
successful finesse, or how strongly the best inter- 
ests of the hand demand apparently an immedi- 
ate trump lead. 

To refrain from leading a trump, the hand 
otherwise justifying a trump lead, simply because 
an honor is turned to one's right, is unsound 
play, and equally unsound perhaps is the lead of 
a trump simply because an honor is turned to 
one's left. Either is right if the conditions of the 
hand otherwise make it right; either is wrong if 
the conditions of the hand otherwise make it 
wrong. 

The card to lead, however, an honor being 
15s 



STANDARD WHIST 

turned to one's right or left, varies by reason of 
the bearing of the card turned upon the leader's 
holding. This has been referred to under 
Trump Leads. 

THE CARD TO LEAD IN RESPONSE TO A 
SIGNAL, 

though, to be sure, governed to some extent by 
the rank of the card turned, is governed usually 
by the same considerations which govern the 
return of a lead, namely, one's numerical 
holding.* 

If holding three trumps or less^ as in other cases 
where we lead to known strength in the hand of 
partner^ we lead from the highest downwards^ freely 
giving him^ to indulge in a seeming paradox^ of the 
strength of our weakness. 

If holding four trumps^ or more — this covers as 
well cases where^ holding originally four^ one was 
used for ruffing before the development of the signal 
— we lead the lowest^ save only when holding the 
command^ or an original high card leady when^ in 

* Regardless of number, we should lead a strengthening card, if 
holding one, if the signal develops by the making of a false card lead. 

156 



TRUMPS 

the one case^ we lead the command j in the other ^ the 
conventional high card from the particular combina- 
tion. 

As it is of paramount importance that a player 
who leads or calls for trumps, be enabled to 
infer as early as possible as to the number of 
trumps held by his partner, what is known as 
the echo has been devised. 

THE ECHO 

an invention of Cavendish, is, as the term indi- 
cates, an extension of the signal; in other 
words, an answer to the call. 

The echo which is made in the same manner 
as the signal, by the play of an unnecessarily 
high card, followed by a smaller one, proclaims 
four trumps at least. 

The echo should be made without delay, in 
the trump suit if led and it be practicable, or in 
the first plain suit which is thereafter led. 

If holding originally four trumps, one was 
used for ruffing before the lead or signal devel- 
oped, we should still echo to show numerical 
strength at the start. 

157 



STANDARD WHIST 

The manner of giving the echo develops in a 
variety of forms, and affords opportunities at 
times for extremely pretty and adroit play. If 
given in the trump suit, and when there is no bid 
for the trick, if made, not necessarily with the 
two lowest trumps, but with third and fourth 
best — unless third best be of such value that its 
use in this way might involve the loss of a trick — 
we can often proclaim the precise number we 
hold. If partner, for instance, lead queen and 
then ace of trumps, and we, holding the 5, 4, 3, 
and 2, first play 3 and then 2, we echo precisely 
four. If, however, holding the 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2, 
we again play third best, 4, and then fourth best, 
3, we echo five. 

The special value of this system of echoing 
lies, it will be seen, in one's ability to note and 
draw correct inferences, not alone from the 
cards which have been played, but from those 
which have not been played. Negative inferences 
are in every particular as significant and as 
deeply pregnant with meaning as are positive 
ones, and until we arrive at a proper apprecia- 
tion of this fact we are still lacking in one of 
158 



TRUMPS 

the first essentials to the making of a sound, 
capable, and satisfactory player. 

If partner having called, we are forced, hold- 
ing four trumps, we take the force with third 
best, and in answer to the call lead fourth best — 
the suit not containing an honor or a finessing 
card. If either of the latter conditions prevails, 
while we still take the force with third best, 
we lead preferably the high card. 

If partner having called, we are forced holding 
five or more trumps, we take the force with 
fourth best, and in response to the call, lead fifth 
best, holding up whatever smaller cards of the 
suit the hand may contain. 

If, however, our holding include ace^ or an 
original high-card lead, while we would still in the 
generality of cases take the force with fourth 
best, we would respond to the signal in the one 
case by the lead of ace, followed by fifth best, 
in the other by the conventional high card from 
the particular combination. 

When previous play has made it evident that 
the player to our left also is void of the suit led, 
obvious departures from the above form become 
159 



STANDARD WHIST 

advisable, and regardless of number, we trump 
with our highest trump (the cards heading the 
suit not being in sequence) and respond to the 
signal, if holding the trick, or when in the lead, 
by the lead of lowest. 

The echo develops in cases where, our trumps 
being headed by cards in sequence, we make a 
bid for the trick, by the play of the higher and 
the return of the lower of the cards in sequence 
heading the suit. 

This form of play which for ostensible reasons 
is specially valuable when the card played is next 
in sequence to the turned trump (we having 
turned the trump) or when, holding cards of 
immediate re-entry in suit, it is likely, in the 
event of the card played not holding the trick, 
that we will soon obtain a lead and thus be 
enabled to complete the echo, and to show the 
card immediately below the one played, which 
partner might otherwise suppose against him, 
may be objected to as being directly opposed to 
the rule for return leads which specifies the 
return of the lowest, if remaining with three or 
more of partner's suit, save only when holding 
i6o 



TRUMPS 

the command, or an original high-card lead. As 
the echo in itself, however, is a proclamation of 
numerical strength, the information which by 
the return lead is intended to be conveyed, in 
reality develops in the simplest and most effect- 
ive manner possible. 

The advantage of the echo is manifold whether 
considered from a positive or a negative stand- 
point. It guides the leader as to the location of 
the remaining unplayed trumps; as to the expe- 
diency of taking a force and still going on with 
the lead ; as to when the lead should be discon- 
tinued, etc. 

The non-development of the echo, on the other 
hand — the failure to echo denies four trumps — 
warns him to husband his strength if but 
moderately strong, especially if it be important 
that the adversaries be completely disarmed; it 
also points at times to the inadvisability of going 
on with the lead, owing to the probability that 
one of the players is as strong if not stronger 
than himself. 



i6i 



STANDARD WHIST 

THE SUB-ECHO 
is a proclamation of three trumps. 

The sub-echo which, in the words of Nicholas 
Browse Trist, its inventor, is "another instance 
of progressiveness of whist language," can be 
made at any stage of the game, when, one's 
previous play having negatived the holding of 
four trumps, it cannot be construed as an echo 
proclaiming four. 

As an illustration let us assume a small trump 
to be led by partner, the trick being won by 
opponent An adverse suit is led which goes 
for two rounds. We do not echo. We deny, 
therefore, the holding of four trumps. Another 
suit is led which also goes two rounds. In this 
suit we echo. As we failed to echo at first op- 
portunity, our play constitutes, not an echo, 
proclaiming four, but a sub-echo^ proclaiming 
three. 

Again : — Partner as before leads a small trump. 

With a holding, say, of king, lo, and one small, 

we win with king and return lo. As by the rank 

of the card we return, we deny the holding of 

162 



TRUMPS 

four trumps, we have but to echo in the usual 
manner in the first plain suit thereafter led, and 
the play again constitutes, not. an echo, pro- 
claiming four, but a sub-echo, proclaiming 
three. 

Still again: — Partner leads a trump which is 
adversely won, the opponent winning leading a 
plain suit which goes for three rounds. We, 
holding in the suit say, the 2, 3, and 4, play 2 ; 
this denies the holding of four trumps. If to 
the second round, then, we play 4, and to the 
third round 3, the play again resolves itself into 
a sub-echo, proclaiming three. 



163 



CHAPTER X 

THE DISCARD 

" To play whist with skill is both an intellectual and a 
moral discipline." 

We must speak by the card or equivocation will undo 
us. — Hamlet, Act V., Scene i. 

When we have no card of the suit led and do 
not trump, we play a card of another suit, gen- 
erally the lowest of the suit which our hand con- 
tains. This play constitutes a Discard, a play 
of the greatest value, and owing to the varied 
significance which under different conditions it 
assumes, one which calls for the gravest and 
most thoughtful consideration. 

The first discard is in reality an index to the 
hand and of but scarcely less importance than 
the first or original lead. As, necessarily, we 
weaken a suit by discarding from it, it stands to 
reason that under ordinary conditions and in 
164 



THE DISCARD 

the vast majority of cases, we discard from a 
suit in which we have but little strength; in 
other words, from one in which we are least 
liable to take a' trick. Partner so construes the 
play and governs his own play accordingly; 
either abstaining altogether from leading the 
suit, or leading it (it being perhaps his own suit) 
in the full knowledge that he can expect but 
little if any assistance from us in his efforts at 
his establishment. 

As there is no time during the play of a hand 
when we should not be guided by developments 
— a fact which every whist player instinctively 
appreciates — so, in the case of the discard, it 
becomes best occasionally to discard not from 
our weakest, but from our longest or best pro- 
tected suit, the play under these conditions con- 
stituting what is significantly termed 

A FORCED DISCARD 
To explain : — When trump strength is declared 
adversely, we stand but little chance of making^ 
that is, bringing in, our long suit. Save, there- 
fore, for the opportunities it may give us of 
165 



STANDARD WHIST 

forcing, this suit becomes usually of little or no 
practical value. When, under these conditions, 
then, making a discard, it is undoubtedly best 
to discard from our long suit, rather than from 
our shorter or weaker ones, not only as a direct 
means of communication to partner as to what 
constitutes our strongest suit, but, perhaps the 
more forcible reason of the two, in order securely 
to guard whatever high-card strength it may 
chance we hold in the shorter suits, the inference 
being not unlikely that the adverse lead of trumps 
will result otherwise in the bringing in of one or 
the other ^of these "suits. While with trumps 
declared strongly against us, we can as a rule 
offer but little defense, it is nevertheless unwise 
to concede any victory without a struggle, and 
the end in view justifies certainly the means 
employed. 

Briefly summed up, then, the general rules for 
discards may be stated as follows: 

When trumps are in one's favor ^ or^ at all events^ 
have not been declared against one^ discard first from 
weakest suitj when the reverse is the case, from 
longest or best protected suit. 
i66 



THE DISCARD 

In later discards^ aim simply for the best proteC' 
tion of the hand, as Cavendish observes, "it being 
the original discard only which is directive." 

The original discard from our best suit, trumps 
being declared adversely, applies, it will be un- 
derstood, in its full force to cases only where 
our suit has not been already declared. If we 
have previously led from it, we discard from it 
or not, as the best interests of the hand seem- 
ingly may demand. 

Confusion may occasionally arise as to whether 
the preponderance of trump strength is in reality 
with partner or with opponent, as in cases for 
instance, where the trump lead which originated 
with opponent, is taken up and continued by 
partner, and vice versa. This particular phase 
of the question of discards has from time to time 
occasioned considerable discussion and opposing 
theories have been variously advanced. The con- 
sensus of opinion, however, is in favor of the 
discard in the one case being from the weakest, 
in the other from the strongest suit, on the the- 
ory in the one case that partner, by a continu- 
ance of the lead, declares also the possession of 
167 



STANDARD WHIST 

strength, and, it may be, sufficient to outlive the 
adversary; in the other, that a similar avowal of 
strength is made by adversary. 

It is inadvisable as a rule to make more than 
one discard from our long suit unless it contain 
at least six cards, or unless our greater security 
apparently lies in the protection of queen twice 
guarded, or jack or lo three times guarded, of 
the suit which is evidently opponent's. It will 
sometimes happen, for instance, in the end play 
of a hand, that, being left with two suits only, 
one of which is established, our only hope of 
making even one card of the established suit is 
dependent upon the single chance of our obtain- 
ing a lead through a high card once, twice, or 
even three times guarded of the remaining suit. 
In such and similar cases we discard, it is need- 
less to say, conformably to the situation, unhesi- 
tatingly throwing away one, two, or whatever 
number of cards of the established suit the 
exigencies of the case may demand. 

When partner may be in doubt as to which of 
two suits constitutes our best, we can often point 
to it infallibly, if put to two discards, by dis- 
168 



THE DISCARD 

carding in turn from each of the two remaining 
suits. Such policy should not be resorted to, 
however, if at the possible sacrifice of any 
strength in either suit which may be necessary 
to the final bringing in of the suit. When a 
doubt of this nature exists it will usually develop 
— this being in accordance with the doctrine of 
probabilities — that the suit in which partner has 
the least strength is the one in which we have 
the greatest. 

The discard to show command^ as when holding, 
for instance, ace, jack, 9, 4, 3, is made by the play 
first of a higher, and when next playing from the 
suit of a lower card of a suit; by such a play, in 
other words, as would constitute ordinarily a 
trump signal. It is perhaps superfluous to 
explain that this form can be employed only 
when there is no possibility of its being con- 
strued as in any manner having reference to 
trump strength — trumps either being exhausted, 
or previous play having conclusively shown that 
no such construction can be placed upon it. 

So, also, it would be unwise to employ it if 
the card which must be first played — third or 
169 



STANDARD WHIST 

fourth best, accordingly as the suit contains four 
or five cards — is of such value that the play 
might result in loss. 

The discard preparing to show command^ or re- 
entry^ as when holding, say, king, queen, etc., 
develops in the same manner as the above — by 
the play of an unnecessarily high card followed 
by a lower one. 

Such discards can be made at any stage of the 
game when, as above explained, they can have 
no reference to trump strength, and they apply 
equally to one's long suit and to short suits. 

The discard of a singleton^ or a discard from a 
suit consisting of ace and one other card only ^ or 
of an honor lower than ace and one other card only, 
the two latter plays known respectively as 
Blanking an Ace and Unguarding an Honor, 
should, if possible, be studiously avoided, 
especially in the early and but partially devel- 
oped stages of a game. The discard of a single- 
ton deprives us of our only means of assisting 
partner in the suit should it turn out — a condi- 
tion quite probable — that this were his best 
suit. Moreover, the early proclamation of 
170 



THE DISCARD 

weakness in any suit subjects us throughout to 
adverse finessing in the suit. When, however, 
trump strength is in our favor, we may unhesi- 
tatingly resort, if need be, to any of the above- 
named expedients, under such conditions it 
being not only of the greatest importance that 
we direct partner absolutely as to our best suit, 
but there being infinite wisdom in preserving it 
intact. 

A discard from a suit in which partner has de- 
clared strength {we being numerically weak in the 
suit) calls at all times for due discretion ; espe- 
cially so when there is but one remaining trump 
and it is held adversely. If the adversary hold- 
ing it suspects our weakness, he will persistently 
hold up the trump (unless he or his partner have 
an established suit, and the latter being the 
case, he is able to put his partner in the lead) 
until he can read us with no more, for, thus de- 
priving us of the power to go on with the suit 
should we later obtain a lead, he reduces to a 
minimum partner's chances of bringing the suit 
in. 

Due care also should be observed regarding 
171 



STANDARD WHIST 

the discard from partner's suit, though we, too, 
are numerically strong in the suit — holding, that 
is, as many as four. Otherwise, as has been 
explained in connection with Unblocking Third- 
Hand Play, we may block the suit. 

A discard from a tenace suit is an artifice 
resorted to at times — this is not regarded as a 
specially high order of play — in the hope that 
left-hand adversary, agreeably to the principle 
of leading to supposed weakness in the hand of 
fourth player, may be induced to lead the suit 
— generally to our^ manifest advantage. So, 
also, with the same object in view, we discard 
occasionally from our best suit in cases where it 
has been shown that partner is void of the suit, 
or where it is unlikely that he will obtain a lead. 

When, toward the end of a hand, it is appar- 
ent that we will be put to two or more discards 
— trumps perhaps being exhausted, and oppo- 
nent, or partner, being in the lead with possibly 
an established suit — it will be found better as a 
rule, if holding two suits of about equal strength, 
to discard from one of them exclusively, rather 
than to so weaken both as to render ourselves 
172 



THE DISCARD 

unable perhaps to take a trick in either. We 
can often take our clew, too, in cases of this 
nature (the lead being with opponent) from part- 
ner's discard, discarding on our part from the 
suit he retains, and conversely, retaining the 
one he discards. 

The discard of the command of a suit except for 
the purpose of unblocking — the suit being part- 
ner's — points to the complete control of a suit. 

The discard of second best of a suit proclaims no 
more. This, too, subject to contingencies liable 
to arise in the end play of a hand as to the ex- 
pediency of throwing high cards to avoid the lead. 

As has been explained in the chapter on 
Trumps, the discard of a high card of an unopened 
suit early in a hand, or on or before the fourth 
round, constitutes virtually a trump signal. 



173 



CHAPTER XI 

THE COMMAND ON THE THIRD-ROUND SIGNAL 

The command on the third-round signal is 
a form of play made in the same manner as the 
trump signal by the play of an unnecessarily 
high card followed by a lower one of the same 
suit, and it can therefore only be employed when 
there is no danger of its being so construed — 
trumps either being out or the remaining ones 
marked with adversaries or partner. It applies 
usually to cases where, holding perhaps queen 
and two or more smaller cards, the higher cards 
of the suit are played to the first two rounds. 
This signal issues to partner a command to come 
with the suit a third round. 

A similar form of play which also issues to 
partner a command to come with the third round 
of the [suit is employed in cases where, holding 
two small cards of a plain suit and the losing 
trump, the remaining trumps are marked with 
adversaries or partner. 

m 



CHAPTER XII 

CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

Know the rules and when to break them. — C. E. 
Coffin. 

There is as much art in whist as in diplomacy. — 
Prince Metternich. 

Having considered in as condensed a manner 
as possible to be consistent with accuracy and 
clearness, the various maxims, truths, principles, 
and conventions a correct understanding of 
which is essential to the harmonious working out 
of the combined game of whist, it remains but 
to consider briefly some of the finer or more 
abstruse points of the game. 

The opportunities for making some masterly 
stroke or brilliant coup are of comparatively 
rare occurrence. The player, therefore, who is 
intent upon the discovery of some unusual de- 
velopment, thinking to cover himself with glory 
for a play of exceptional brilliancy, is very apt 
175 



STANDARD WHIST 

completely to overlook some simpler develop- 
ment, the failure to take advantage of which 
may result in the loss of one or a greater number 
of tricks. 

** Coups,'* in fact, as has been pertinently 
observed, '*are exceptional plays the opportu- 
nities for making which the practiced player will 
perceive on occasion but will not hunt for." 
There can be no doubt, however, but that one 
possessed of the ability successfully to meet and 
cope with unusual situations when they do 
occur, turning to the advantage of himself and 
partner something which in the hands of a player 
of inferior caliber would be entirely valueless, 
possesses weapons of a masterly and effective 
sort, and is in every sense a partner to be sought 
and an adversary to be feared. 

As Cavendish truly observes and as every 
player of experience fully appreciates, ** There is 
no whist principle which should not be occasion- 
ally violated owing to the knowledge of the 
hands derived from inferences during the play." 
One can, in fact, evince no surer proof of a 
thoroughly sound, perfectly balanced and finely 
176 



CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

poised player than in the ability "to play to 
the drop." 

The card first led should always be conven- 
tional, and unless developments point to the 
expediency of a contrary course, the card led by 
each player when first he makes a lead, should 
usually also be conventional. As the game pro- 
gresses, however, rules and conventions may be 
thrown to the winds. Individual judgment must 
come to the front and supply and govern what 
up to a certain point has been of necessity more 
or less mechanical. 

The last few tricks are the crucial and critical 
points of the game. The battle of intellects 
waging constantly stronger and more strong, at 
this stage if ever, we require all our forces, tact, 
skill, and power. The weapons, so to speak, of 
accumulated knowledge, facts, and inferences 
with which we have been gradually arming and 
equipping ourselves during the course of the 
game must then be made to serve a quick, 
steady, and effective use. Unless this can be 
done the knowledge previously gained has been 
of little if any appreciable benefit. 
177 



STANDARD WHIST 

The 'situations which call for strategic treat- 
ment, in a word, which render departure from 
rule not only expedient but at times imperative 
are, by reason of their very nature, so exceed- 
ingly fine and oftentimes complex, that it is a 
matter of impossibility to reduce them within 
circumscribed limitations or rules. It is more 
than difficult to formulate a rule or rules for de- 
parting from rule. '*If, however, " as aptly ob- 
served by Pole, "a player can always bear in 
mind the reason why in the ordinary game he 
ought to do a certain thing, he will have but little 
difficulty in appreciating the cases as they arise, 
where the reason fails, and where, consequently, 
the established rule no longer applies." 

As has been before stated, the last few tricks 
are the crucial points of the game. 

To be in the lead under certain conditions at 
certain advanced portions of the game is to be 
at times in an exceedingly doubtful position — 
one which involves frequently greater loss than 
gain. 

If, at the eleventh trick, for instance, we hold 
best and fourth best trumps to right opponent's 
178 



CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

second and third best, it would never be right to 
overtrump third best. Such a play, by compel- 
ling the lead from us on the next round, would 
endanger the loss of both of the two remaining 
tricks, whereas, were the lead to come from 
adversary, as would be the case if we refused to 
overtrump, we would make them both. With 
the deliberate hope of deceiving as to the* posi- 
tion of third best trump and thereby compelling 
the best, right opponent when finding himself 
thus hemmed in, would be entirely warranted in 
the play of a false card, second best rather than 
third best. 

False Cards, or cards which are played con- 
trary to the established rules and for the specific 
purpose of deceiving as to the true essentials of 
one's hand, are at times most effective, serving 
an end which could be attained in no other way. 
Nevertheless, as like dangerous weapons, their 
proper handling requires the utmost care, they 
should be resorted to but sparingly. Some 
writers condemn them altogether; others again, 
and the majority, agree that they are perfectly 
rulable if used with discretion and only in cases 
179 



STANDARD WHIST 

where, without in any manner working injury to 
the hand of partner, they can be made to serve 
an effectual and judicious use. 

Whenever, also at the eleventh trick, the only 
remaining trumps are equally divided between 
partner and left opponent — this being apparent 
from previous play — we should win the trick if 
within our power to do so, though already part- 
ner's, that we may on the next round give him 
the advantage of position, or tenace, over his 
right opponent. 

THE^ GRAND COUP, 
an exceedingly ingenious and clever play, the 
successful application, however, of which calls 
for the keenest whist perception and the most 
absolute understanding of the exact situation on 
the part of the player who attempts it, has also 
for its object the avoidance of the lead at a crit- 
ical stage, by reason usually of the danger 
otherwise of being compelled to lead up to a 
tenace or second best guarded in trumps in the 
hand of right adversary. 

The play of the grand coup consists in ridding 
i8o 



CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

ourselves of a superfluous trump either by- 
trumping 'or overtrumping a trick already part- 
ner's, or by playing a lower trump on a trick 
which has been already trumped with a higher 
one. 

A superfluous trump may be compared to an 
embarrassment of riches which imposes upon the 
holder a responsibility of the gravest nature and 
one which he would oftentimes gladly rid him- 
self of could he see his way clear to so doing. 
Happy, indeed, then, is the player, who, fore- 
seeing that he is powerful only for harm, rids 
himself early of the undesirable and inconvenient 
trump. The ability so to do is pronounced by 
Clay to be *'the triumph of the great whist 
player." 

It should be distinctly understood that if the 
player who attempts the grand coup, commits the 
error of retaining in his hand such a card of a 
plain suit as will inevitably put him in the lead 
at the critical round despite his efforts to avoid 
it, all his pains will go for naught, and he will be 
no better off than if he had retained the trump. 
When a contingency of this nature seems possi- 
i8i 



STANDARD WHIST 

ble, he should make it a point to rid himself as 
well of the high card of the plain suit. 

This brings me to a consideration of what is 
known as 

THROWING HIGH CARDS TO AVOID THE LEAD, 
another play which comes under the head of 
diplomatic or strategic play. 

If, at the tenth trick, we hold not only the 
major tenace or second best guarded in trumps 
over right adversary, but two cards as well of a 
plain suit which he is leading, one of which may 
otherwise put us in the lead, it is imperative 
that we play the higher of the two, even though 
it be king or ace led — this constitutes, by the 
way, the typical example of this coup. This 
coup which develops in a variety of forms, while 
lacking entirely the element of loss, works 
frequently to one's gain. 

PLACING THE LEAD, 

consists in the lead or play of a losing trump, or 

a losing card of a plain suit, though holding the 

command, in cases where again it is to our 

182 



CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

manifest advantage to be led to, or through, 
rather than to be in the lead ourselves. 

Properly placing the lead involves one of the 
subtlest and prettiest strategies of the game. 
This play is, in fact, a species of underplay, 

UNDERPLAY 

being an extempore stratagem, the success of 
which is dependent chiefly upon the correct 
turning of inferences from previous plays. 

Like all plays involving artifice, and therefore 
out of the usual order, underplay is resorted to 
in the hope of gaining thereby one or more extra 
tricks than could be gained by ordinary conven- 
tional play. Underplay, though occasionally 
resorted to on the first round of a suit, is more 
usually attempted on later rounds. It can be 
employed by any player at the table. The op- 
portunities for indulging in underplay present 
themselves in a variety of phases, one of the 
most common perhaps consisting in the lead of 
a small card, though holding the command, 
through the unestablished suit of left adversary, 
in the hope that this player being induced to sus- 
183 



STANDARD WHIST 

pect the best card of the suit is to his left, will 
play a small one, with the result that partner 
will win the trick with a card which otherwise 
would be valueless, while we, at the same time, 
retain the command. This play is especially 
effective at times in the trump suit. In plain 
suits it is of necessity attended with more or 
less risk, and should be attempted but rarely, as 
if an opponent suspect the design he will put up 
his high card at once, and thus not only defeat 
the immediate object intended, but perhaps 
render the commanding card, owing to the prob- 
ability of the next round of the suit being ad- 
versely trumped, liable to not win at all. 

DESCHAPELLES'S COUP, 
so named after its inventor, Deschapelles, one 
of the best analysts and most brilliant players 
of his time, in fact pronounced by Clay to be 
"the first whist player beyond any comparison 
the world has ever seen," is an exceedingly 
bright play, which has for its ulterior aim the 
bringing in of partner's established suit. 

Deschapelles's Coup consists in the lead of 
184 



CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

king, queen, or jack from the top of a plain suit 
not previously opened, regardless of number of 
any special holding in the suit, in cases where 
trumps are either exhausted or we hold the only 
remaining ones, but have no established suit and 
no card of partner's established suit with which 
to put him in the lead. 

The primary object of the play is at once to 
force out the higher card or cards of the suit which 
are held adversely, in the hope on a subsequent 
round of enabling partner to obtain the lead with 
some card of inferior rank in the suit which he 
may chance to hold; in other words, of enabling 
him, in the event of his holding such a card 
sooner or later to obtain the lead and bring in 
his established suit. 

Deschapelles's Coup can usually be defeated 
by a refusal on the part of the adversary who 
holds the ace, more particularly if this be right- 
hand adversary, to part with the ace on the first 
round. Reasoning from the standpoint that our 
next lead from the suit will doubtless of neces- 
sity be a low card, that partner will thus be 
forced to put up his best, and, in the event of 
185 



STANDARD WHIST 

its falling to the superior card, will perhaps lose 
his only chance of re-entry, the adversary who 
holds the ace — if it be held adversely — should 
withhold it always on the first round if the mo- 
tive of the play can be suspected. If ace be 
held by partner he may play it or not on the 
first round, as his judgment may dictate. 

It will be found expedient occasionally 
toward the end of a hand to refuse to win with 
the last trump, or with the commanding card of 
a suit, in cases where trumps are exhausted the 
second round of an adverse suit, such refusal 
being based on the assumption that a third round 
will likely exhaust the partner of the player in 
whose favor the suit is declared, and so reduce 
to a minimum the chances of the suit being 
brought in. 

Cases are apt to arise, too, toward the end 
of a hand where, two trumps only remaining in 
play, the losing one being in the hand of adver- 
sary, it would be unwise to draw it. 

When and when not to draw the losing trump 
involves, as Drayson affirms, "one of the most 
delicate points in whist." The play should be 
1 86 



CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

governed not by mere speculative guess, but by 
absolute conviction ; the player, then, upon 
whom rests this responsible play should be 
strongly equipped with all the inferences which 
previous play has developed. 

If our own suit, or partner's, be established, 
and especially if, the latter being the case, we 
remain with a card of his suit with which to put 
him in the lead, or it is likely that he holds a 
re-entry, the question admits of no discussion; 
the trump should be drawn as a matter of 
course. So, also, there can be no doubt on the 
subject if the losing trump be in the hand of 
such adversary as holds an established suit, as, 
if he hold a re-entry in either of the other two 
suits, or even if his partner hold a re-entry, 
holding also a card of the established suit to 
lead him, no play whatever on our part can pre- 
vent the final bringing in of the suit. 

If the losing trump, however, be in the hand 
of the partner of the adversary who holds the 
established suit, and who yet remains with a 
card of the suit to lead him — this having devel- 
oped from previous play — the trump should not 
187 



STANDARD WHIST 

be drawn as a matter of course. Our aim rather 
should be to place the lead adversely in the 
belief, or at least hope, that another round of 
the adverse established suit will deprive the 
partner of the holder of the ability again to lead 
it, and thus reduce to a minimum the chances of 
the suit being brought in. This end we can usu- 
ally attain by another round of our own or part- 
ner's unestablished suit. Frequently also this 
round will fully establish the suit. 

When, in the end play of a hand, it is appar- 
ent that an unopened suit of which we hold four 
cards, headed by queen or jack, can go round 
but twice, two trumps being marked adversely, 
we insure the best chance of making two tricks 
in the suit by leading the card heading the suit 
rather than the lowest; treating the suit, in other 
words, as though it consisted of two cards 
only. 

Contrariwise, it becomes best to lead the 
lower rather than the higher of an unopened suit 
of two cards, one not being ace, in cases where 
all the adverse remaining cards, save only one, 
which is doubtful, are known to be winning 



CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

cards. This in order that partner if holding 
the command may make no attempt at finesse, 
but secure the immediate trick. These plays, 
the wisdom of which is distinctly manifest, are 
comprehended under the general terms of 

TREATING LONG SUITS LIKE SHORT ONES, 
AND VICE VERSA 

When, as is occasionally the case, the situation 
is so critical that our only hope of making any- 
thing of a score is dependent upon the single 
chance of finding partner strong in the suit in 
which we are weak, it is sometimes best to adopt 
defensive tactics throughout, and to this end to 
make our first lead from our weakest rather than 
from our best suit. This with the intent that 
partner may deeply finesse in the suit, and if 
winning the trick, open on his part from his 
weakest suit, that we in turn may finesse and go 
on with our original lead, etc. 

From the foregoing, which embody, after all, 

but a few of the more important cases the proper 

management of which requires consummate tact 

and skill, as well as a thorough understanding 

189 



STANDARD WHIST 

of the developments from previous play, one 
can form some idea, not only of the immense 
variety of this most wonderful of games, but of 
the wide range of intellect of which its play 
admits. 

If a player had nothing to do but blindly to 
follow rule, if there were no risks to be run, no 
doubtful speculations to be entered upon — in a 
word, if there were no unexpected developments 
or unlooked-for contingencies, one of the strong- 
est and most subtle charms to which the game 
can lay claim would be irretrievably lost, and 
the possessor of a good memory and a certain 
amount of mechanical ingenuity would find that 
no qualities more exalted were required in the 
make-up of a successful player. 

It calls, however, for such infinite skill, inge- 
nuity, address, perception, and finesse — in a word, 
so many highly philosophic and scientific points 
are closely involved that, in the words of the 
eminent novelist, "Ouida," **A man who has 
trained his intellect to perfection in whist has 
trained it to be capable of achieving anything 



190 



CRITICAL ENDINGS, COUPS, ETC. 

that the world can offer. A campaign does not 
need more combination; a cabinet does not 
require more address, an astronomer-royal does 
not solve finer problems; a continental diplo- 
matist does not prove greater tact." 



191 



APPENDIX A 

THE LAWS OF WHIST, 

AS REVISED AND ADOPTED AT THE 

THIRD AMERICAN WHIST CONGRESS, 
Chicago, June, 1893 

THE GAME 

1. A game consists of seven points, each trick 
above six counting one. The value of the 
game is determined by deducting the loser's 
score from seven. 

FORMING THE TABLE 

2. Those first in the room have the prefer- 
ence. If, by reason of two or more arriving at 
the same time, more than four assemble, the 
preference among the last comers is determined 
by cutting, a lower cut giving the preference 
over all cutting higher. A complete table con- 
sists of six; the four having the preference play. 

Partners are determined by cutting; the high- 

193 



STANDARD WHIST 

est two play against the lowest two-, the lowest 
deals, and has the choice of seats and cards. 

3. If two players cut intermediate cards of 
equal value, they cut again; the lower of the 
new cut plays with the original lowest. 

4. If three players cut cards of equal value, 
they cut again. If the fourth has cut the high- 
est card, the lowest two of the new cut are part- 
ners, and the lowest deals. If the fourth has 
cut the lowest card, he deals, and the highest 
two of the new cut are partners. 

5. At the end of a game, if there are more 
than four belonging to a table, a sufficient num- 
ber of the players retire to admit those awaiting 
their turn to play. In determining which play- 
ers remain in, those who have played a less num- 
ber of consecutive games have the preference 
over all who have played a greater number; 
between two or more who have played an equal 
number, the preference is determined by cutting, 
a lower cut giving the preference over all cut- 
ting higher. 

6. To entitle one to enter a table, he must 
declare his intention to do so before any one of 
the players has cut for the purpose of commen- 
cing a new game or of cutting out. 



194 



THE LAWS OF WHIST 



CUTTING 

7. In cutting, the ace is the lowest card. All 
must cut from the same pack. If a player ex- 
poses more than one card, he must cut again. 
Drawing cards from the outspread pack may be 
resorted to in place of cutting. 

SHUFFLING 

8. Before every deal the cards must be 
shuffled. When two packs are used, the dealer's 
partner must collect and shuffle the cards 
for the ensuing deal, and place them at his 
right hand. In all cases the dealer may shuffle 
last. 

9. A pack must not be shuffled during the 
play of a hand, nor so as to expose the face of 
any card. 

CUTTING TO THE DEALER 

10. The dealer must present the pack to his 
right-hand adversary to be cut; the adversary 
must take a portion from the top of the pack and 
place it toward the dealer; at least four cards 
must be left in each packet; the dealer must 
reunite the packets by placing the one not 
removed in cutting upon the other. 

11. If, in cutting or reuniting the separate 

195 



STANDARD WHIST 

packets, a card is exposed, the pack must be re- 
shuffled by the dealer and cut again; if there is 
any confusion of the cards or doulDt as to the 
place where the pack was separated, there must 
be a new cut. 

12. If the dealer re-shuffles the pack after it 
has been properly cut, he loses his deal. 

DEALING 

13. When the pack has been properly cut and 
reunited, the dealer must distribute the cards, 
one at a time, to each player in regular rotation, 
beginning at his left. The last, which is the 
trump card, must be turned up before the dealer. 
At the end of the hand, or when the deal is lost, 
the deal passes to the player next to the dealer 
on his left, and so on to each in turn. 

14. There must be a new deal by the same 
dealer — 

(a) If any card except the last is faced in the 
pack. 

(b) If, during the deal, or during the play of 
the hand, the pack is proved incorrect or imper- 
fect; but any prior score made with that pack 
shall stand. 

15. If, during the deal, a card is exposed, the 
side not in fault may demand a new deal, pro- 
vided neither of that side has touched a card. 

196 



THE LAWS OF WHIST 

If a new deal does not take place, the exposed 
card is not liable to be called. 

i6. Any one dealing out of turn or with his 
adversaries' pack, may be stopped before the 
trump card is turned, after which the deal is 
valid and the packs, if changed, so remain. 

MISDEALING 

17. It is a misdeal — 

(a) If the dealer omits to have the pack cut, 
and his adversaries discover the error before the 
trump card is turned and before looking at any 
of their cards. 

(b) If he deals a card incorrectly and fails to 
correct the error before dealing another. 

(c) If he counts the cards on the table or in 
the remainder of the pack. 

(d) If, having a perfect pack, he does not 
deal to each player the proper number of cards 
and the error is discovered before all have played 
to the first trick. 

(e) If he looks at the trump card before the 
deal is completed. 

(f) If he places the trump card face downward 
upon his own or any other player's cards. 

A misdeal loses the deal, unless, during the 
deal, either of the adversaries touches a card, 
or in any other manner interrupts the dealer. 

197 



STANDARD WHIST 



THE TRUMP CARD 

i8. The dealer must leave the trump card face 
upward on the table until it is his turn to play 
the first trick; if it is left on the table until 
after the second trick has been turned and 
quitted, it is liable to be called. After it has 
been lawfully taken up, it must not be named, 
and any player naming it is liable to have his 
highest or lowest trump called by either adver- 
sary. A player may, however, ask what the 
trump suit is. 

IRREGULARITIES IN THE HANDS 

19. If, at any time after all have played to 
the first trick, the pack being perfect, a player 
is found to have either more or less than his cor- 
rect number of cards, and his adversaries have 
the right number, the latter, upon the discovery 
of such surplus or deficiency, may consult, and 
shall have the choice — 

(a) To have a new deal ; or 

(b) To have the hand played out, in which 
case the surplus or missing card or cards are not 
taken into account. 

If either of the adversaries, also, has more 
or less than his correct number, there must be a 
new deal. 

198 



THE LAWS OF WHIST 

If any player has a surplus card by reason of 
an omission to play to a trick, his adversaries 
can exercise the foregoing privilege only after 
he has played to the trick following the one in 
which such omission occurred. 

CARDS LIABLE TO BE CALLED 

20. The following cards are liable to be called 
by either adversary; 

(a) Every card faced upon the table other- 
wise than in the regular course of play, but not 
including a card led out of turn. 

(b) Every card thrown with the one lead or 
played to the current trick. The player must 
indicate the one led or played. 

(c) Every card so held by a player that his 
partner sees any portion of its face. 

(d) All the cards in a hand lowered or shown 
by a player so that his partner sees more than 
one card of it. 

(e) Every card named by the player holding it. 

21. All cards liable to be called must be 
placed and left face upward on the table. A 
player must lead or play them when they are 
called, provided he can do so without revoking. 
The call may be repeated at each trick until the 
card is played. A player cannot be prevented 
from leading or playing a card liable to be called ; 

199 



STANDARD WHIST 

if he can get rid of it in the course of play, no 
penalty remains. 

22. If a player leads a card better than any his 
adversaries hold of the suit, and then leads one 
or more other cards without waiting for his part- 
ner to play, the latter may be called upon by 
either adversary to take the first trick, and the 
other cards thus improperly played are liable to 
be called; it makes no difference whether he 
plays them one after the other or throws them 
all on the table together, after the first card is 
played, the others are liable to be called. 

23. A player having a card liable to be called 
must not play anot^her until the adversaries have 
stated whether or not they wish to call the card 
liable to the penalty. If he plays another card 
without awaiting the decision of the adversaries, 
such other card, also, is liable to be called. 

LEADING OUT OF TURN 

24. If any player leads out of turn, a suit may 
be called from him or his partner, the first time 
it is the turn of either of them to lead. The 
penalty can be enforced only by the adversary 
on the right of the player from whom a suit can 
be lawfully called. 

If a player, so called on to lead a suit, has 
none of it, or if all have played to the false lead, 

200 



THE LAWS OF WHIST 

no penalty can be enforced. If all have not 
played to the trick, the cards erroneously played 
to such false lead are not liable to be called and 
must be taken back. 

PLAYING OUT OF TURN 

25. If the third hand plays before the second, 
the fourth hand also may play before the second. 

26. If the third hand has not played, and the 
fourth hand plays before the second, the latter 
may be called upon by the third hand to play his 
highest or lowest card of the suit led, or, if he 
has none, to trump or not to trump the trick. 

ABANDONED HANDS 

27. If all four players throw their cards on the 
table, face upward, no further play of that hand 
is permitted. The result of the hand, as then 
claimed or admitted, is established — provided 
that, if a revoke is discovered, the revoke penalty 
attaches. 

REVOKING 

28. A revoke is a renounce in error not cor- 
rected in time. A player renounces in error 
when, holding one or more cards of the suit led, 
he plays a card of a different suit. 

A renounce in error may be corrected by the 
201 



STANDARD WHIST 

player making it, before the trick in which it 
occurs has been turned and quitted, unless either 
he or his partner, whether in his right turn or 
otherwise, has led or played to the following 
trick, or unless his partner has asked whether or 
not he has any of the suit renounced. 

29. If a player corrects his mistake in time to 
save a revoke, the card improperly played by 
him is liable to be called; any player or players 
who have played after him may withdraw their 
cards and substitute others; the cards so with- 
drawn are not liable to be called. 

30. The penalty for revoking is the transfer 
of two tricks from the revoking side to their 
adversaries; it can be enforced for as many 
revokes as occur during the hand. The revok- 
ing side cannot win the game in that hand; if 
both sides revoke, neither can win the game in 
•that hand. 

31. The revoking player and his partner may 
require the hand in which the revoke has been 
made to be played out, and score all points made 
by them up to the score of six. 

32. At the end of a hand, the claimants of a 
revoke may search all the tricks. If the cards 
have been mixed, the claim may be urged and 
proved, if possible; but no proof is necessary, 
and the revoke is established, if, after it has 
been claimed, the accused player or his partner 



THE LAWS OF WHIST 

mixes the cards before they have been examined 
to the satisfaction of the adversaries. 

^^. The revoke can be claimed at any time 
before the cards have been presented and cut 
for the following deal, but not thereafter. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

34. Any one, during the play of a trick and 
before the cards have been touched for the pur- 
pose of gathering them together, may demand 
that the players draw their cards. 

35. If any one, prior to his partner playing, 
calls attention in any manner to the trick or to 
the score, the adversary last to play to the trick 
may require the offender's partner to play his 
highest or lowest of the suit led, or, if he has 
none, to trump or not to trump the trick. 

^6. If any player says, "I can win the rest," 
"The rest are ours," "We have the game," or 
words to that effect, his partner's cards must be 
laid upon the table, and are liable to be called. 

37. When a trick has been turned and quitted, 
it must not again be seen until after the hand 
has been played. A violation of this law sub- 
jects the offender's side to the same penalty as 
in case of a lead out of turn. 

38. If a player is lawfully called upon to play 
the highest or lowest of a suit, or to trump or 

203 



STANDARD WHIST 

not to trump a trick, or to lead a suit, and un- 
necessarily fails to comply, he is liable to the 
same penalty as if he had revoked. 

39. In all cases where a penalty has been 
incurred, the offender must await the decision of 
the adversaries. If either of them, with or 
without his partner's consent, demands a penalty 
to which they are entitled, such a decision is 
final. If the wrong adversary demands a pen- 
alty, or a wrong penalty is demanded, none can 
be enforced. 



304 



THE ETIQUETTE OF WHIST, 

AS ADOPTED BY THE 

THIRD AMERICAN WHIST CONGRESS, 
Chicago, June, 1893 

The following rules belong to the established 
code of Whist Etiquette. They are formulated 
with a view to discourage and repress certain 
improprieties of conduct, therein pointed out, 
which are not reached by the laws. The cour- 
tesy which marks the intercourse of gentlemen 
will regulate other more obvious cases. 

1. No conversation should be indulged in 
during the play except such as is allowed by the 
laws of the game. 

2. No player should in any manner whatso- 
ever give any intimation as to the state of his 
hand or of the game, or of approval or disap- 
proval of the play. 

3. No player should lead until the preceding 
trick is turned and quitted. 

4. No player should, after having led a win- 
ning card, draw a card from his hand for another 

205 



STANDARD WHIST 

lead until his partner has played to the current 
trick. 

5. No player should play a card in any manner 
so as to call particular attention to it, nor 
should he demand that the cards be placed in 
order to attract the attention of his partner. 

6. No player should purposely incur a penalty 
because he is willing to pay it, nor should he 
make a second revoke in order to conceal one 
previously made. 

7. No player should take advantage of infor- 
mation imparted by his partner through a breach 
of etiquette. 

8. No player should object to referring a dis- 
puted question of a fact to a bystander who pro- 
fesses himself uninterested in the result of the 
game and able to decide the question. 

9. Bystanders should not in any manner call 
attention to or give any intimation concerning 
the play or the state of the game, during the 
play of a hand. They should not look over the 
hand of a player without his permission; nor 
should they walk around the table to look at 
the different hands. 



206 



THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST, 

AS ADOPTED ON TRIAL FOR ANOTHER YEAR AT THE 

NINTH AMERICAN WHIST CONGRESS, 
Chicago, July, 1899 

LAW I — DEFINITIONS 

Section i. The words and phrases used in 
these laws shall be construed in accordance 
with the following definitions, unless such con- 
struction is inconsistent with the context: 

Hand. The thirteen cards received by any- 
one player are termed a "hand." 

Deal. The four hands into which a pack is 
distributed for play are termed a *'deal"; the 
same term is also used to designate the act of 
distributing the cards to the players. 

Tray. A "tray" is a device for retaining the 
hands of a deal and indicating the order of play- 
ing them. 

Dealer. The player who is entitled to the 
trump card is termed the "dealer," whether the 
cards have or have not been dealt by him. 

Original play and overplay. The first play of a 
207 



STANDARD WHIST 

deal is termed **the original play"; the second 
or any subsequent play of such deal, the "over- 
play." 

Duplicate whist. ''Duplicate Whist" is that 
form of the game of whist in which each deal is 
played once only by each player, but in which 
each is so overplayed as to bring the play of 
teams, pairs, or individuals into comparison. 

Renounce — renounce in error — revoke. A player 
"renounces" when he does not follow suit to 
the card led; he '* renounces in error" when, 
although holding one or more cards of the suit 
led, he plays a card of a different suit; if such 
renounce in error Is not lawfully corrected, it 
constitutes a "revoke.'* 

Trick ' * turned and quitted. ' * A trick is " turned 
and quitted" when all four players have turned 
and quitted their respective cards. 

LAW II — FORMATION OF TEAMS AND AR- 
RANGEMENT OF PLAYERS 

Section i. The contesting teams must each 
consist of the same number of players. They 
may be formed and seated at tables as deter- 
mined by agreement, lot, or otherwise, and the 
positions of the players at the table shall be 
designated as "north," "east," "south," and 



208 



THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 

LAW III — SHUFFLING 

Section i. Before the cards are dealt they 
must be shuffled in the presence of an adversary 
or the umpire. Each player has the right to 
shuffle them once before each deal, each new 
deal, and each new cut. In all cases the dealer 
may shuffle last. 

Section 2. Right to re-shuffle. The pack must 
not be so shuffled as to expose the face of any 
card, and if a card is so exposed each of the 
players has the right to re-shuffle the pack. 

LAW IV — CUTTING FOR THE TRUMP 

Section i. The dealer must present the cards 
to his right-hand adversary to be cut; such ad- 
versary must take from the top of the pack at 
least four cards and place them toward the 
dealer, leaving at least four cards in the remain- 
ing packet; the dealer must reunite the packets 
by placing the one not removed in cutting upon 
the other. If, in cutting or reuniting the 
separate packets, a card is exposed, the pack 
must be re-shuffled and cut again ; if there is any 
confusion of the cards or doubt as to the place 
where the pack was separated, there must be a 
new cut. 



209 



STANDARD WHIST 

LAW V — DEALING 

Section i. When the pack has been properly 
cut and reunited, the cards must be dealt one 
at a time, face down, from the top of the pack, 
the first to the player at the left of the dealer, 
and each successive card to the player at the 
left of the one to whom the last preceding card 
has been dealt. The last, which is the trump 
card, must be turned and placed face up on the 
tray, or, if no tray is used, then at the right of 
the dealer. 

Section 2. Compulsory new deal. There must 
be a new deal — • 

(a) If any card except the last is faced or 
exposed in any way in dealing. 

(b) If the pack is proved incorrect or imper- 
fect. 

(c) If either more or less than thirteen cards 
are dealt to any player. 

(d) If the dealer's hand does not contain the 
trump card. 

Section 3. New deal on request. There must 
be a new deal at the request of either player, 
provided such request is made by him before he 
has examined his cards — 

(a) If the cards are dealt by any person other 
than the dealer. 

(b) If the pack has not been properly cut. 



THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 

(c) If a card is dealt incorrectly, and the error 
is not corrected before another card is dealt. 

(d) If the trump card is placed face down 
upon any other card. 

LAW VI THE TRUMP CARD 

Section i. Trump slip on original deal. The 
trump card and the number of the dealer must 
be recorded before the play begins, on a slip 
provided for that purpose, and must not be 
elsewhere recorded. Such slip must be shown 
to an adversary, then turned face down, and 
placed in the tray, if one is used. 

Section 2. When to take up the trump card. 
The dealer must leave the trump card face up 
until the first trick is turned and quitted, unless 
it is played to such trick. He must take the 
trump card into his hand and turn down the 
trump slip before the second trick is turned and 
quitted. 

Section 3. On the overplay. When a deal is 
taken up for overplay the dealer must show the 
trump slip to an adversary, and thereafter treat 
the trump slip and trump card as in the case of 
an original deal. (See, Law 6, section i.) 

Section 4. Naming trump or examining slip. 
After the trump card has been lawfully taken 
into the hand, and the trump slip turned face 
211 



STANDARD WHIST 

down, the trump card must not be named nor 
the trump slip examined during the play of the 
deal ; a player may, however, ask what the 
trump suit is. 

Section 5. Penalty. If a player unlawfully 
looks at the trump slip, his highest or lowest 
trump may be called; if a player unlawfully 
names the trump card, his partner's highest or 
lowest trump may be called. 

Section 6. Inflicting penalty. These penalties 
can be inflicted by either adversary at any time 
during the play of the deal in which they are 
incurred, before the player from whom the call 
can be made has pla"yed to the current trick; the 
call may be repeated at each or any trick until 
the card is played, but cannot be changed. 

Section 7. After deal has been played. When 
a deal has been played the cards of the respec- 
tive players, including the trump card, must be 
placed in the tray face down, and the trump slip 
placed face up on top of the dealer's cards. 

Section 8. Turning the wrong trump. If, on 
the overplay of a deal, a trump card is turned 
other than the one recorded on the trump slip, 
and such error is discovered and corrected be- 
fore the play of the deal is commenced, the card 
turned in error is liable to be called. 

Section 9. Penalty. If such error is not cor- 
rected until after the overplay has begun, and 
212 



THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 

more than two tables are engaged in play, the 
offender and his partner shall be given the low- 
est score made with their hands on that deal at 
any table; if less than three tables are engaged, 
the offender's adversaries may consult, and shall 
have the option either to score the deal as a tie 
or to have the pack re-dealt, and such new deal 
played and overplayed. 

Section io. Recording wrong trump — penalty. 
Should a player, after the cards are dealt, record 
on the trump slip a different trump from the one 
turned in dealing, and the error be discovered 
at the next table, there must be a new deal; if 
the deal has been played at one or more tables 
with the wrong trump, the recorded trump must 
be taken as correct, and the pair of the player 
making the error be given the lowest score for 
that deal. If, however, less than three tables 
are in play there must be a new deal. 

LAW VII — IRREGULARITIES IN THE HANDS 

Section i. More or less than correct number of 
cards — penalty. In case a player on the overplay 
is found to have either more or less than his cor- 
rect number of cards, if less than three tables 
are engaged, there must be a new deal ; but if 
more than two tables are in play, the hands must 
be rectified, and then passed to the next table. 
213 



STANDARD WHIST 

The table at which the error was discovered 
must not overplay the deal, but shall take the 
average score. 

Section 2. Cards left in the tray. If, after the 
first trick has been turned and quitted, a player 
is found to have less than his correct number of 
cards, and the missing card or cards are found 
in the tray, such player and his partner shall be 
given the lowest score on that deal. 

LAW VIII — PLAYING, TURNING, AND QUITTING 
THE CARDS 

Section i. Playing the cards. Each player, 
when it is his turn to play, must place his card 
face up before him, and toward the center of the 
table, and allow it to remain upon the table in 
this position until all have played to the trick, 
when he must turn it over and place it face 
down, and nearer to himself, placing each suc- 
cessive card, as he turns it, so that it overlaps 
the last card played by him, and with the ends 
toward the winners of the trick. After he has 
played his card, and also after he has turned it, 
he must quit it by moving his hand. 

Section 2. After cards are played. The cards 
must be left in the order in which they were 
played and quitted, until the scores for the deal 
are recorded. 

214 



THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 

Section 3. Turning another's card. During 
the play of a deal a player must not pick up or 
turn another player's cards. 

Section 4. Asking to see the last cards played. 
Before a trick is turned and quitted any player 
may require any of the other players to show 
the face of the cards played to that trick. 

Section 5. Trick once turned and quitted. If 
a player names a card of a trick which has been 
turned and quitted, or turns or raises any such 
card so that any such portion of its face can be 
seen by himself or any other player, he is liable 
to the same penalty as if he had led out of turn. 

LAW IX — CARDS LIABLE TO BE CALLED 

Section i. The following cards are liable to 
be called: 

(a) Every card so placed upon the table as to 
expose any of the printing on its face, except such 
cards as these laws specifically provide shall not 
be so liable. 

(b) Every card so held by a player that his 
partner sees any of the printing on its face. 

(c) Every card (except the trump card) named 
by the player holding it. 

(d) The trump card, if it is not taken into the 
dealer's hand, and the trump slip turned face 
down before the second trick is turned and 
quitted. 

215 



STANDARD WHIST 

Section 2. *'/ can win the resf^'* etc. If a 
player says, *'I can win the rest," "The rest are 
ours," "It makes no difference how you play," 
or words to that effect, his partner's cards must 
be laid face up on the table, and are liable to be 
called. 

Section 3. Where to place and when to play 
cards liable to be called. All cards liable to be 
called must be placed and left until played face 
up on the table. A player must lead or play 
them when lawfully called, provided he can do 
so without revoking; the call may be repeated 
at each or any trick until the card is played. 
A player cannot, however, be prevented from 
leading or playing a card liable to be called ; if 
he can get rid of it in the course of play no pen- 
alty remains. 

Section 4. By whom and when cards can be 
called. The holder of a card liable to be called 
can be required to play it only by the adversary 
on his right. If such adversary plays without 
calling it, the holder may play to that trick as 
he pleases; if it is the holder's turn to lead, the 
card must be called before the preceding trick 
has been turned and quitted, or before the holder 
has led a different card ; otherwise he may lead 
as he pleases. 



216 



THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 



LAW X — LEADING OUT OF TURN 

Section i. Penalty lost. If a player leads out 
of turn, and the error is discovered before all 
have played to such lead, a suit may be called 
from him or from his partner, as the case may 
be; the first time thereafter it is the right of 
either of them to lead; but the card led out of 
turn is not liable to be called, and must be taken 
into the hand. The penalty can be enforced 
only by the adversary on the right of the one 
from whom a lead can lawfully be called. If all 
have played to the false lead, the right to the 
penalty is lost, if one or more, but not all, have 
played to the trick, the cards played to such 
false lead must be taken back and are not liable 
to be called. 

Section 2. When it is an adversary's turn to 
lead. If a player leads when it is the turn of an 
adversary to lead, the right to call a suit is lost, 
unless the player having the right to inflict the 
penalty announces the suit he desires led before 
the first trick thereafter won by the offender 
or his partner is turned and quitted. 

Section 3. When it is partner's turn to lead. 
If a player leads when it is his partner's turn, 
the proper leader must not lead until a suit has 
been lawfully called, or the right to inflict the 
penalty has been waived or forfeited by his 
217 



STANDARD WHIST 

adversaries. If any one leads while liable to 
this penalty, the card so led is liable to be 
called; but if either adversary plays to such lead 
the right to call a suit is lost. 

Section 4. Penalty paid. If a player, when 
called on to lead a suit, has none of it, the pen- 
alty is paid, and he may lead as he pleases. 

LAW XI — PLAYING OUT OF TURN 

Section, i. If the third hand plays before 
the second, the fourth hand also may play be- 
fore the second. 

Section 2. If the third hand has not played, 
and the fourth hand plays before the second, the 
latter may be called upon by the third hand to 
play his highest or lowest card of the suit led, 
or, if he has none of it, to trump or not to trump 
the trick; the penalty cannot be inflicted after 
the third hand has played to the trick. If the 
player liable to this penalty plays before it has 
been inflicted, waived, or lost, the card so played 
is liable to be called. 

LAW XII — THE REVOKE 

Section i. Revoke established. A renounce in 
error may be corrected by the player making it, 
except in the following cases, in which a revoke 
is established and the penaltv therefore incurred: 

218 



THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 

(a) When the trick in which it occurs has been 
turned and quitted. 

(b) When the renouncing player or his part- 
ner, whether in his right turn or otherwise, has 
led or played to the following trick, 

(c) When the partner of the renouncing player 
has called attention to the renounce. 

Section 2. Asking adversary if he renounced. 
At any time before a trick is turned and quitted 
a player may ask an adversary if he has any of a 
suit to which such adversary has renounced in 
that trick, and can require the error to be cor- 
rected in case such adversary is found to have 
any of such suit. 

Section 3. Correcting renounce. If a player 
who has renounced in error lawfully corrects his 
mistake, the card improperly played by him is 
liable to be called, any player who has played 
after him may withdraw his card and substitute 
another; a card so withdrawn is not liable to be 
called. 

Section 4. Penalty for revoke. The penalty 
for a revoke is the transfer of two tricks from 
the revoking side to their adversaries; it can be 
enforced for as many revokes as occur during 
the play of that deal, but is limited to the num- 
ber of tricks won by the offending side; no pair, 
however, can score more than thirteen on the 
play of any one deal. The revoking player and 
219 



STANDARD WHIST 

his partner cannot score more than the average 
on the deal in which the revoke occurs. 

Section 5. Claiming revoke. A revoke may 
be claimed at any time before the last trick of 
the deal in which it occurs has been turned and 
quitted and the score recorded, but not thereafter. 

Section 6. Examining hands for revoke. At 
the end of the play of a deal, the claimants of 
a revoke can examine all the cards; if either 
hand has been shuffled, the claim may be urged 
and proved if possible; but no proof is necessary 
and the revoke is established, if, after it has 
been claimed, the accused player or his partner 
disturbs the order of the cards before they have 
been examined to the satisfaction of the adver- 
saries. 

LAW XIII — MISCELLANEOUS 

Section i. Calling attention to trick. If any 
one calls attention in any manner to the trick 
before his partner has played thereto, the adver- 
sary last to play to the trick may require the 
offender's partner to play his highest or lowest 
of the suit led, or if he has none of that suit, to 
trump or not to trump the trick. 

Section 2. Reminding partner as to penalty. A 
player has the right to remind his partner that 
it is his privilege to enforce a penalty, and also 
to inform him of the penalty he can enforce. 
220 



THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST 

Section 3. Preventing commission of irregu- 
larity. A player has the right to prevent his 
partner from committing any irregularity, except 
revoking. 

Section 4. Enforcing penalties. If either of 
the adversaries, whether with or without his 
partner's consent, demands or waives a penalty 
to which they are entitled, such decision is final; 
if the wrong adversary demands a penalty, or a 
wrong penalty is demanded, none can be en- 
forced. 

Section 5. Failing to comply with call. If a 
player is lawfully called upon to play the highest 
or the lowest of a suit, to trump or not to trump 
a trick, to lead a suit, or to win a trick, and 
unnecessarily fails to comply, he is liable to the 
same penalty as if he had revoked. 

Section 6. Playing twice in succession. If 
any one leads or plays a card, and then, before 
his partner has played to the trick, leads one or 
more other cards, or plays two or more cards 
together, all of which are better than any his 
adversaries hold of the suit, his partner may be 
called upon by either adversary to win the first 
or any subsequent trick to which any of said 
cards are played, and the remaining cards so 
played are liable to be called, 



GLOSSARY OF COMMON AND TECH- 
NICAL TERMS 

Abandoned Hand. — A hand at whist, or such portion 
of it as remains, which for any reason is thrown face up- 
ward upon the table by a player or players. 

Ace. — A card containing one pip or spot. The ace is 
the highest card in whist in a trick-winning sense, but 
the lowest in respect to" cutting. 

Adverse Suit. — The suit of an opponent. 

American Leads. — A system of leads whereby both 
number in suit and the holding of certain high cards are 
frequently proclaimed. 

Backward Play. — The play of low cards when hold- 
ing high or commanding ones. 

Best Card.— See " Master Card." 

Blocking. — Obstructing a suit by retaining such a 
card of it as prevents its becoming established. 

Book. — A term applied to the first six tricks taken in 
play and gathered together in one lot. Every trick taken 
after a book is closed counts as a point for the players 
taking it. 

Bring In. — To bring in a suit is to take tricks with 
all the remaining cards of the suit. 



GLOSSARY 

BUMBLEPUPPY. — "A manner of playing whist either 
in ignorance of all known rules, or in defiance of them, 
or both." 

Call. — See "Signal." 

Calling Through the Honor.— See "False-Card 
Lead." 

Card of Re-entry. — See " Re-entry." 

Card Sense. — A peculiar faculty or fine whist per- 
ception, instinctive, not acquired, which gives a player 
an insight into the intricacies of the game. 

Command. — The ability to take every trick in a suit 
regardless of by whom led. 

Commanding Cards. — See " Master Cards." 

Compass Whist. — See " Progressive Whist." 

Conventional Play.— Play in accordance with given 
rules. 

Coup. — A strategic move ; a brilliant play. 

Court Cards. — Ace, king, queen, and jack. 

Cover. — To play a higher card than the one led, as 
to cover an honor with ace. 

Cross Ruff. — The alternate trumping of partners. 

Cutting. — The act of dividing a pack of cards into 
two distinct portions. 

Deal. — The fifty-two cards as dealt to each player ; 
that is, the four hands combined. 

Dealing.— The act of distributing the fifty-two cards. 
The player who distributes them is called the dealer. 
The dealer is fourth player to the first trick. 

Deschapelles's Coup.— The irregular lead of king, 
223 



STANDARD WHIST 

queen, or jack in order to force out higher adverse cards, 
in the hope that any inferior card of the suit which part- 
ner may chance to hold may thus become the master 
card and through it he be enabled to obtain the lead. 

Deuce. — A card containing two pips or spots ; the 
two-spot. 

Discard. — The play of a card of a suit other than the 
suit led when having none of the suit led and not 
trumping. 

Doubtful Trick.— A trick which partner or oppo- 
nent may win. 

Draw Your Cards. — A form employed when asking 
players to indicate the respective order in which the 
cards were played. This they do by withdrawing their 
cards from the center of the table and placing them in 
front of themselves. 

Dummy. — Whist as played by three players, the fourth 
hand being exposed and termed "dummy." Double 
dummy is played by two players, each player having a 
dummy as his partner. 

Duplicate Whist.— A modification of the game of 
whist, by which the respective hands are kept intact, and 
overplayed, each side in the overplay playing the hands 
originally played by their opponents. 

Echo. — A trump signal made by the partner of the 
player who leads or signals for trumps, when holding 
four or more trumps. 

Eldest Hand. — The player who first opens a hand, 
or the player to the left of the dealer. 
224 



GLOSSARY 

Eleven Rule. — A rule, the application of which en- 
ables a player to infer the number of cards higher of the 
suit than the one led which are not in the leader's hand. 

Establish. — A suit is established when one holds the 
complete control — that is, when no other player can take 
a trick in it. 

Exposed Card. — A card faced upon the table other 
than in the regular order of play, or in any manner so 
exposed as to be recognized, and therefore liable to be 
called. 

Face Cards. — King, queen, and jack. 

Fall of the Cards.— The special order in which the 
cards are played 

False Card. — A card played contrary to conven- 
tional rules for the purpose of deceiving opponents. 

False-Card Lead. — An irregular lead, made because 
of the bearing of the card turned upon the leader's trump 
holding. It issues to one's partner a command to lead a 
trump through the card turned. Called also "Calling 
through the Honor." 

Finesse. — The attempt to win a trick with a card 
lower than one's highest and not in sequence with it. 

First Hand. — The leader or first player to each 
trick. 

Follow.— The cards played to the card led. Applied 
also to a player's second lead from a suit which he has 
previously led. To follow suit is to play a card of the 
suit led. 

Force. — To force is to lead such a card of a plain 
225 



STANDARD WHIST 

suit as will compel a trump from the player winning the 
trick. 

Forced Lead. — A lead made from a short suit be- 
cause of some unusual development. 

FouRCHETTE. — The card next above and the card 
next below the card led. 

Fourth Best.— The fourth card of a suit, counting 
from the top downward. 

Fourth Hand. — The last player to a trick; the player 
to the left of dealer. 

Game. — "A game of whist is a contest between four 
players, two on each side, to see which can first score a 
certain number of points." 

Grand Coup. — Tlie act of throwing away a super- 
fluous trump. 

Guarded.— A high card is guarded when it is pro- 
tected by smaller ones. King, when having one smaller 
card with it, is once guarded; when having two smaller 
cards with it, is twice guarded. 

Hand.— The thirteen cards dealt to a player. 

High Cards. — Ace, king, queen, jack, ten. 

Holding Up. — Keeping back commanding cards and 
playing smaller ones; refusing to win a trick though hav- 
ing the power. 

Honors.— Ace, king, queen, and jack of trumps. 
For convenience, often applied to corresponding cards of 
the plain suits. 

In. — The cards which have not been played are said 
to be " in," or " in play." 

226 



GLOSSARY 

Indifferent Cards.— Cards are indifferent, or of in- 
different value, when the lead of one marks the holding 
of the other. 

In the Lead . — The player whose turn it is to lead is 
"in the lead." 

Irregular Lead. — A lead not in accordance with 
given rules. 

Lead. — The first card played of any round or trick. 
To lead is to play the first card of any round or trick. 

Leader. — The first player of any round or trick. 

Leading Through.— Leading the suit of left oppo- 
nent. 

Leading Up To.— Leading the suit of right oppo- 
nent. 

Long Cards. — The cards of a suit remaining in hand 
after the other cards of the suit have been played. 

Long Suit. — A suit consisting of four or more cards. 

Long Trumps. — See " Long Cards." 

Long Whist. — The game of whist, consisting of ten 
points and honors, as played in England in the eighteenth 
century, before the introduction of short whist. 

Losing Card. — Such card as must fall to a superior 
card. 

Love. — No score. 

Love-All.— The state of the score before either side 
has made a point. 

Low Cards.— All the cards lower than ten. 

Make. — To make a card is to take a trick with it. To 
make or make up the cards is to shuffle. 
227 



STANDARD WHIST 

Master Card. — The highest card remaining of a 
suit. The card which, if not trumped, will win all the 
other cards of the suit. 

Mnemonic Duplicate.— See "Single-Table Dupli- 
cate." 

Odd Card.— See "Odd Trick." 

Odd Trick. — The one trick taken by either side after 
winning the six cards composing the book. 

Opening. — The system or plan upon which a game is 
begun; the first lead from a suit or hand. 

Original Lead. — A term applying to the first lead 
from a suit or hand. 

Original Play.— The first play of a deal is termed 
"the original play"; the second play of such deal is 
termed the " overplay." Terms applying to " Duplicate 
Whist." 

Out.— The cards which have been played are said to 
be "out." 

Pack. — A set or deck of fifty-two playing cards. 

Pass. — To make no effort to win a trick. 

Penalty. — A forfeit imposed because of a violation 
of a prescribed law. 

Penultimate. — A term, now obsolete, applied to the 
lowest card but one of a suit. Superseded by "fourth 
best" as a lead. 

Piano Hand. — A hand, the playing of which requires 
no skill, and which in a duplicate match would likely re- 
sult in the same score at every table. 

Plain Suit.— A suit not the trump suit. 
228 



GLOSSARY 

Plain-Suit Echo.— A term occasionally, but incor- 
rectly, applied to " Unblocking." 

Play. — A play consists in the act of drawing a card 
from the hand and placing it upon the table. To play to 
a trick is to go through with the form as above explained. 

Playing Out of Turn.— Playing a card upon the 
table before it is one's turn to do so. 

Playing to the Score.— So playing as, if possible, 
to obtain the number of tricks necessary either to win or 
to save a game. 

Points. — Each trick in excess of six counts as a 
point. 

Private Conventions.— A system of conventions 
and signals previously agreed upon between two part- 
ners, but not communicated to their opponents. 

Progressive Whist.— A form of duplicate whist 
wherein the east and west players move from table to 
table. 

Quart. — Four cards in sequence. Ace, king, queen, 
and jack of a suit constitute a quart major. 

Quint. — Five cards in sequence. 

Quitted. — A trick is said to be "quitted" when the 
four players have removed their hands from their respec- 
tive cards and they have been gathered and turned down 
on the table. 

Re-entry. — Such a card as will enable one to regain 
possession of the lead. 

Renounce.— To renounce is to play a card of a plain 
suit other than the one led, holding none of the suit led. 
229 



STANDARD WHIST 

Reverse Discard.— A discard wherein the usual 
meaning attaching to discards is reversed. Made in the 
same manner as the "Trump Signal." 

Revoke.— The play of a card other than the suit led, 
holding card or cards of the suit led. 

Round. — The card led and the three cards played to 
it constitute a round. There are thirteen rounds or tricks 
in every hand. 

Rubber. — Two out of three games, or two in succes- 
sion. 

Ruffing. — Trumping a card of a plain suit led, hav- 
ing none of the suit led. 

Score. — The recqrd of points made upon the game. 

Second Hand. — The player to the left of leader. 

See-Saw.— See " Cross Ruff." 

Sequence. — Two or more cards of consecutive value. 

Short Suit. — A suit of less than four cards. 

Short Whist. — The game consisting of five points 
and honors, as generally played in England. 

Shuffle. — The act of mixing or changing the rela- 
tive position of the cards. 

Signal. — A recognized convention which conveys in- 
formation. See "Trump Signal." 

Single-Discard Call. — A trump signal or call 
made by the discard of an eight or higher card of an 
unopened suit. 

Single-Table Duplicate. — Duplicate whist as con- 
fined to one table. 

Singleton. — The only card of a suit dealt to a player. 
230 



GLOSSARY 

Slam. — The players make a slam who take the entire 
thirteen tricks. 

Small Cards. — See " Low Cards." 

Special Trump Leads. — Irregular trump leads re- 
sorted to by reason of the particular card turned or some 
unusual development. 

Straight Whist. — The game of whist where the 
deals are played but once. 

Strengthening Card.— Such a card as, if led, will 
presumably work to the establishment of one's partner's 
suit. 

Strong Suit. — A suit combining both high-card and 
numerical strength. 

Sub-Echo. — A form of echo showing three trumps. 

Suit. — One of the four divisions of a pack of cards. 
A pack consists of four divisions, denominated respec- 
tively spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds. 

Tenace. — The best and third best, or seco.-_d and 
fourth best cards of a suit. The former constitutes the 
major tenace ; the latter, the minor tenace. The best, 
third best, and fifth best cards of a suit, or ace, queen, 
ten, constitute a double tenace. 

Third Hand.— The partner of the leader. 

Thirteenth. — The last unplayed card of a suit. 

Throwing the Lead.— Playing such a card as will 
compel another player to take the trick, and thereby ob- 
tain the lead. 

Tierce. — A sequence of three cards. 

Trey. — A card containing three pips or spots. 
231 



STANDARD WHIST 

Trick. — The card led and the three cards played to it 
constitute a trick. 

Trump Card. — The card turned by dealer — the last 
one dealt. 

Trumps or Trump Suit.— The suit represented by 
the card turned, or previously agreed upon as the trump 
suit. 

Trump Signal. — The play of an unnecessarily high 
card, followed by a lower one of the same suit. It issues 
to one's partner a command to lead trumps. 

Turn-Up.— See " Trump Card." 

Unblocking. — Getting rid of the commanding or of 
such high cards of partner's suit as might otherwise pre- 
vent the suit from becoming established. 

Underplay. — The lead or play of a losing card of a 
suit when holding winning ones. 

Weak Suit.— A suit void of high cards. 

Winning Cards. — Cards good for tricks. See " Mas- 
ter Cards." 

Yarborough. — A hand containing no higher card than 
nine. 



232 



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